


On A Midnight Clear

by whitesplashes



Category: Doctor Who, Fandom - Fandom, Twelve/Clara - Fandom, Whouffaldi - Fandom
Genre: Adrenaline, Angst, Character Death, Crush, Drama, F/M, Gallifrey, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Spooky, Werewolf, Werewolf AU, Wolves, car crash, town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 46,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitesplashes/pseuds/whitesplashes
Summary: Werewolf AUClara Oswald is a travelling journalist with a keen interest in small, unknown towns. After accidentally making a wrong turn, she encounters the sleepy, isolated community of Gallifrey nestled deep in the mountainside. Her intentions were to find her bearings and get back on the road, but when she totals her car after encountering an oversized wolf the following night, she has no choice but to extend her stay; unearthing strange occurrences, past history and being swept off her feet by the wealthy and charming town owner known only as ‘the Doctor’.





	1. Wrong Turn

**Author's Note:**

> Second attempt at a fic! 
> 
> Hope you like this one!

Chapter 1

Clara stood in the middle of the road, map in hand, gazing at the long expanse of asphalt ahead. If her sense of direction was correct, she should be heading northbound towards the Interior Plains of British Columbia. It was just bad luck her car’s GPS broke down halfway through her journey and now she had to rely on her not-so-good map reading skills. She popped back into the driver’s seat and pedalled the gas, cruising along the roadway, on a lookout for any mounted signs. The inkling view of a distant mountain chain gave her hope as she continued her drive towards her destination. Her intention was to get to the town of Kildeer before nightfall, having follow her GPS map to a tee. 

She had been burning her tires all day and had not seen a hint of human presence. Clara looked at her watch, five thirty-three. The sun was going to set pretty soon, and she had not packed her camping gear to rough it out, outdoors tonight. Thankfully it was late spring, so the air was not as frosty as it was earlier in the past few months. The young woman pulled onto the shoulder and checked her map again. She definitely made a wrong turn somewhere, because by her calculations, Kildeer was five hours from her hometown. Clara groaned in frustration and tossed it aside. The best bet, follow the never-ending pitch and pray she found people soon.

Ten minutes later, she came to a fork in the road. Left or right? Either way she took, was going to get her back on her original track or get her even more lost. She took the left and hoped that she made the right decision. The light began to fade and the orange fireball in the sky was signal to the close of another day. Clara began to feel a tad worried, having not yet run into anything besides wilderness. It’s not like she was hoping bigfoot was going to jump out the pine forest bordered road, but anything besides the greenery right now would make her feel a bit better. 

She excitedly pulled alongside a worn wooden sign, bearing an arrow pointing west and the words ‘Gallifrey’ etched in flaky white paint. She continued in the direction of the arrow, until she passed two stone pillars, bordering either side of the road. A landmark maybe? A little further in, she spotted a small house, and then another. Civilization, at last! The deeper she went, the greater the abundance of wooden structures she whizzed by, all seemingly occupied judging from the bright yellow lights glowing through the glass windows.

Clara pulled up in what seemed to be a supermarket of sorts. It was well stocked for a place out in the middle of nowhere and very empty. She quickly scanned the aisles, searching for someone to speak to. A loud cough caught her attention and she spotted an old man standing behind the cash register… she passed only moments ago.

‘Hi!’ she greeted with a smile.

‘I got lost on the road and need some help trying to find my way back. Can you help me?’

The old man looked her up and down and divulged, ‘You here in the town of Gallifrey. We’re located west of the Interior Plains. The closest town to us is three hours away.’

Clara pressed a finger to her temple. She did not have time and energy to deal with that length of travel, especially having now find members of her own species to communicate with. She sighed and released a long, tired yawn. 

The old man eyed her and said, ‘There’s a guest house up the hill, fifteen minutes from here. Ask for Donna.’

She smiled and thanked the age-able fellow and did as he instructed. Clara found herself standing in a small lobby, plainly decorated with a couple of old black and white photographs and a vase of sad looking flowers. She rang the bell at the abandoned desk and waited. A loud thumping resounded above her head and seconds later she was met with a red headed woman. She had close-set eyes, a prissy mouth and was slightly rotund. 

‘Evenin’,’ she greeted, with a bored tone.

‘Hi. I’d like a room, please.’

Clara double-checked the number and stared at a small cabin in front of her. Were cabins and rooms synonymous in this little town? She shrugged and let herself in. It was adorned in the simplest of ways, another old black and white photograph hanging over a plain glass window and a little flower trough within reach. Thankfully the plants were not as sorry-looking. She poked around the small building for basic freebie necessities; toilet paper, a bar of soap and a rather ancient looking television set. Lugging the heavy suitcase from her car, followed by a short, icy bath; she found comfort in a clean pair of pants and a green sweater. Laying on the small bed and uncomfortable pillow, her stomach began to growl. Clara searched in vain for a phone to call in room service and swore when she found none. Grumpily, the brunette stomped down the stairs in her fluffy purple bedroom slippers and rang the bell at the once again, empty reception desk.

The prissy mouthed red-head steered her to an outdoor terrace with a battered-looking menu. She flipped through the pages and ordered a roast beef sandwich with a ginger beer. Clara savoured every bite of the hot meal, licking her fingers clean. That was one of the best tasting sandwiches she ever had. Belly full and drink in hand, she clamoured towards her abode for the night. The stretch to her cabin from the main office was a short trek up a gently sloping path, slightly overgrown with weeds. Halfway there, a soft rustling stopped her dead in her tracks. She squinted in the dim light supplied by the small outdoor lamp, stationed midway along the walkway. The noise came again and she yelped as an extraordinarily large grey wolf with the most dazzling, blue eyes gazed upon her. 

Clara felt fear well up inside her and her first instinct was to run, but her feet remained glued to the spot. The animal calmly strolled up to her and sniffed at her legs and hands. The wild dog was much larger than a normal one should be. Despite she was rather short, the animal’s head reached her stomach and could easily overpower and kill her with one powerful bite. It circled her, like it would when cornering its prey and then released a howl. She broke into a cold sweat, as the howl was answered in the distance. Clara closed her eyes and whimpered, half-expecting it to attack. Instead, she heard a soft rustle again and upon opening her eyes, found herself alone. The wolf had disappeared. What the hell just happened? She wasted no time returning to the safety of her temporary stay, ensuring to lock all doors and her one window. The little lady lay in bed on her side and stared through the window, waiting for sleep to claim her.

Eventually it did and she dreamt of the strangest thing. The big grey had turned into a man. Not a young one, but an older male, with curly silver hair and those sapphire studs for eyes. He was tall and on the skinny side, but very charming and had asked her, her name. She refused to tell him and he smiled at her, this winning broad, white toothed smile and handed her a red rose. Clara accepted it and the man took her hand and kissed it, before whispering to her, ‘We’ll meet again, milady.’ He changed back into the large grey wolf and gave a loud, ominous howl. The sound rattled in her chest and she shot up in bed, panting heavily. What a hell of a dream! Her gaze went to the window and for a split second, she could have sworn she saw those blue eyes staring back at her. She blinked and rubbed her eyes before returning her gaze again. Nothing. Was she seeing things? Her entire body shuddered when a howl cut through the silent night, air. Unease came over her and one thing was for sure; she was leaving this town first thing in the morning!


	2. The Grey Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My inspiration dwindles... one minute I'm all high and then one minute I'm all time dry... I hope to have it up and running full time pretty soon x.x
> 
> Here's another chapter ^_^

Chapter 2

Clara swore as her engine stalled, after her fifth attempt to start her vehicle. She popped the bonnet and peered down at the grey mass of metal, completely at a loss on where to start looking for the problem. The tiny woman slammed the hood and went to the hotel’s main office, asking for directions to the nearest mechanic. She slowly plodded down the worn-down asphalt street, taking in the cool, fresh air and lovely smell of pine. The town was very quiet, and if she saw two passers-by’s along her route, that was plenty. The housing architecture looked very old fashioned with a Victorian edge to it, all appearing to be made solely of wood. She stopped and admired the craftsmanship of one particular house, wondering how long it took to carve and create such splendid piece of art.

‘Do you like it?’ came a female voice.

Clara looked over her shoulder, spotting a tall, pretty red-head making her way towards her.

‘It’s lovely,’ she complimented with a kind smile.

‘This was my grandmother’s house. Sold it to a newly married couple a few years ago,’ she divulged.

‘The house is pretty strong for its age, especially when it has to put up with the couple’s nightly activities!’ 

Clara giggled at her little joke and proceeded to exchange courtesies with the young woman. Her name was Amy Pond, and informed Clara that she was on her way to see her boyfriend Rory, who was the town’s only doctor and was more than happy to take her to the mechanic’s shop along her way.

‘This is it! Nothing big, like there is in the city,’ Amy announced.

Clara looked at the shabby, little building which if she didn’t know better, seemed deserted. Amy poked her head though the door and called to someone inside. A few minutes later, a tall, good looking man in his thirties emerged in a white grease stained vest and tight jeans. A smile appeared on her face, as her eyes traced every part of him. He was hot!

‘Jack, this lovely visitor has a problem with her car and needs some assistance,’ aided the ginger.

He smiled at her, revealing a lovely row of straight white teeth. 

‘What seems to be the problem Miss?’ he asked, stroking the back of his neck.

‘Car won’t start. I’m afraid it’s up at the hotel,’ she said.

‘Oh God, at Donna’s?’ he whined, ruffling his hair.

‘Don’t leave the lady stranded, Jack! Come on, be a good sport!’ scolded Amy.

He agreed to help her after further complaining and Amy giving him a punch in the arm. 

Jack slammed the lid of her car shut, ‘Okay, seems you got a problem with the ignition. It’s gonna take me a little while to get it sorted, especially with the car so far from the shop,’ he stated, grimly.

‘I’ll go get my truck and tow it down. I’ll call you when it’s done, yeah?’

Clara agreed and decided to return to her small cabin and relax, while Jack operated on her ticket out of this place. Boredom quickly consumed her and she paced the small area several times before taking a leisurely walk outside. The back of the cabin was a haven for a wildlife photographer, teeming with butterflies, birds and exotic wildflowers. She removed her shoes and wiggled her toes in the carpet of green grass beneath her feet. She closed her eyes and sighed, letting the peacefulness of nature take over.

A loud flapping of wings startled her. She looked up to see the flock of birds previously perched on the pine branches had flown off in a hurry. Maybe something spooked them? The light crack of something stepping on a twig made her look down. A few feet away, stood the blue eyed, grey wolf from the night before. It sat behind a large tree trunk, its body almost obscured by the bushes surrounding the small perimeter it sat. Clara thought of running, but she found herself strangely intrigued. 

Wolves usually attacked on sight. However, this one just watched her, carefully. She frowned and whipped out her phone, snapping a picture of the furry beast. The dog stood up and attempted to approach her, when Amy came calling. Clara shouted in response and looked back to find the wolf gone. That was fast, she thought. It moved like a ghost.

‘Hey, wanted to know if Jack helped you out,’ she asked.

‘Yeah. He took the car to the garage. Said he’d try to fix it.’

Amy smiled at her and was about to say something, when her head snapped straight to the direction of where the wolf was previously sitting. She inhaled deeply, her eyes suddenly wild. She took a few steps forward and then chuckled. Clara looked a bit wary.

‘Is… everything ok…?’ 

Amy spun on her heels and said happily, ‘Everything’s fine. Thought I caught a whiff of something odd,’ she explained.

For the rest of the day, the two women passed the time chatting. Clara revealed to the ginger that she was a journalist who wrote articles on unknown towns around the country and how she took a wrong turn and ended up here. Amy laughed and told her the town was called Gallifrey and was an old lumber site, years gone by. The current residents were descendants from the first settlers who built the town, including herself. 

‘We rarely get guests, you know,’ she commented.

‘You’re perhaps the first in months.’

Clara shook her head, not finding that hard to believe at all. The pair made their way to the mechanic shop, after a call from Jack. As they arrived, they were greeted by a triumphant smile from the good looking local. Clara turned the key and the engine started in one go.

‘Thank you so much!’ she exclaimed and paid him his fee.

After gathering her items and vacating the hotel premises, she said her goodbyes to Amy and headed out. It was almost dark by the time she drove past the stone pillars, marking the entrance to the town. Despite she hated driving at night, something about that place creeped her out, starting with that wolf. As she shifted the gear and turned her fog lights on, a large figure darted in front of her car and stopped in the middle of the road. It was the large grey wolf. Clara hit the brakes hard and swerved, running straight into a tree, with a loud bang.


	3. Green and Yellow Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, finally got time to restructure this chapter and I hope you like it!

Chapter 3

Clara was in a daze and her ears rung as she pushed herself out the driver’s seat. The front of her car was smashed and when she turned the key in her newly fixed ignition, she found it would not start. Perfect. She grabbed her purse and suitcase, limping her way back to Gallifrey. It was pitch black, without aid of street lights and the dead of night by now. Every hair on her body stood on end as she traced her steps, in the pale moonlight. Every now and then she’d look over her shoulder the feeling of eyes watching her from the shadows, weighing heavier as the minutes ticked by.

A loud snap from behind made her heart jump out her chest. She did not stop to see what it was and broke into a limping-jog. Her left leg ached, and her shoulders felt sore. Another snap broke the air, this time a lot closer than the first. She quickly looked over her shoulder and saw two pairs of glowing eyes behind her. Clara gasped and adrenaline took over, as she dropped her bags and bolted up the road. The sound of claws on the pitched lane followed her, the thumping and soft huffs of breath gaining distance.  
Clara looked behind again, noticing not two but four pairs of eyes on her trail, now. Her lungs burned and fatigue began to take over. Her pace slowed, legs becoming sluggish as she tripped over her feet. The young woman hit the ground with a thud, the taste of blood in her mouth. She rolled over onto her behind and looked into the eyes of four humungous wolves, baring their teeth. She slowly backed away, eyes wide with fear. One lurched at her and she flung her arm over her head, crouching to brace herself for the impact, that never came. 

A loud roar echoed, followed by a whine as her large grey wolf bit down onto the neck of her attacker. The other wolves looked on, refusing to aid their comrade as he was beaten by what had to be the leader of the pack. Clara scrambled to her feet and ran as far and fast as she could, the minute recovery easing her raw throat. The cries of the wolf grew softer, the further she clamoured. The sight of the stone pillars nearly made her burst into tears, as she ran up the inclining road towards the town.

‘Help!’ she screamed, racing up the town’s main road. 

The place was deathly quiet and the lights from the surroundings were coincidentally off. A pair of glowing green eyes stared straight at her from a distance. She slowly backed away and heard a growl resound from the opposite direction. Upon turning, she saw another set of eyes, this time a yellow pair, fixed on her. Clara scanned the surroundings for any possible escape and spotted a narrow opening between a row of hedges. The wolves were fast and hungry and it was a gamble she was going to take… be mauled to death or make a dash for it.

In seconds, she darted towards her only exit, the wolves hot on her heels. The young woman stumbled through the bushes, the thorns snagging at her soft skin and clothes. A weedy dirt road saluted her eyes as she exited. The loud huffing of her assailants told her they were near and she scrambled up the cleared pathway, her gait slowing. The undeniable sound of ripping fabric filled the air and Clara fell backwards as a strong force pulled her down. She looked up in horror as the green-eyed wolf spat out a chunk of her sweater. Fear seized her body and the green-eyed terror approached, triumphantly. The journalist spotted what appeared to be a large branch within hands reach and swung it hard, connecting with the beast’s snout. 

A loud yelp hit the air and the animal immediately backed away. An angry growl erupted as the yellow-eyed animal hurled itself onto Clara, aiming for her throat. She flung the branch at the wild dog, hitting it in the eye and losing her weapon in the process. Quickly, she felt around the ground beneath her and grabbed the sizeable rock, smashing it into the dog’s skull. The beast howled in pain, as she connected it again and again until a distinct irony smell flooded her nose. The green-eyed counterpart rushed to it’s now lifeless partner in crime; nudging it repeatedly with its muzzle. Clara stood up and held her branch, tightly. The wolf’s eyes burned with rage as it accepted the reality of the situation.   
It launched full force at the woman, throwing her onto her back. Clara held the piece of wood and pushed it into the animal’s mouth, as it fought its way to snap at her neck. She felt her strength dwindle, her arms burning as she struggled to fend off the beast. 

A commanding bark stopped the wild dog dead in its tracks and the journalist wasted no time in planting a kick in its stomach and swung the branch at its head. The wolf whimpered and rolled off her. Another bark resounded, claiming her attention. She turned around, spotting the large grey wolf strong and tall and three times larger than her two current attackers, who were merely the size of a normal wolf. It looked past the small woman and snarled at the cowering canine behind. Her blue-eyed saviour charged at the green-eyed assailant, snapping at its leg and then scruff before flinging it across the road. The dog whimpered and ran off, tail between its leg. What the hell just happened? The animal strolled up to her, blue eyes bright in the dim light. She held the branch forward, creating distance between them. The wolf stopped and stared at her, curiously. For a moment, Clara could have sworn she heard a voice in her head.

‘You are safe now, malady,’ it said.

‘I mean you no harm.’

She frowned, wondering if she were hearing things.

‘Put the branch down,’ it said.

She looked at the animal wide-eyed. Was it talking to her?! No, that would be silly. Considering it, she lowered her weapon and tossed it aside. After all, it did save her life… twice.

‘You’re not going to hurt me, are you?’ she asked carefully.

The dog sat on its heels and titled its head to the side.

‘You ran in front of my car, but then stopped that wolf from biting me…’

She took a step forward.

‘You also stopped the green-eyed one from killing me too.’

The wolf scratched behind its ear, never removing its eyes from her.

‘I killed one of your kind. Aren’t you angry about that?’ she asked.

The dog stood up. She immediately took a step back. Oh no, was it going to attack her now? 

‘I’m sorry, I killed one of your kind, but it was going to kill me!’ she blurted.

Why in the world was she even apologizing to a wolf? 

It walked up to her and sniffed at her feet. She held her breath, hoping it didn’t snap at her or have thoughts of ending her life. Instead, it rubbed its head against her hand. Clara frowned at the gesture and guessed it perhaps wanted her to touch it. She slowly assumed a squatting position and hesitantly stroked its head. Its fur was soft and smooth, past the rough guard hairs. It sat and closed its eyes as she continued to ruffle the shaggy coat. After a few minutes, the wild dog nudged Clara and rested its front paws on her lap. She looked at it cautiously as it rested its forehead against hers. Their gazes met and the tiny woman slowly felt herself slipping away. The last thing she recalled was the sensation of being lifted up, her face resting against a warm surface and someone stroking her hair, telling her she was no longer in danger and they would protect her.


	4. Smith Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mystery continues! Can you guess the indirect reference? :P *you'll see it when you read the chapter*

Chapter 4

Clara sat at the edge of a pool splashing her feet in the still water. She smiled enjoying the tranquillity and wildflowers that bordered the bank in their rich blues, pinks and yellows. A hand rested on her shoulder and she peered into the eyes of the silver haired man from her previous dream.

‘Do you like it milady?’ he asked, taking a seat beside her.

She frowned at him in response.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, concerned.

‘Who are you?’

He smiled and plucked one of the pink blossoms, placing it behind her ear.

‘You will find out soon enough.’

‘This is the second time I am dreaming of you. Have we met before?’

He smiled and nodded.

‘Where?’ she demanded, folding her arms tightly. 

He leant forward, his lips bare millimetres from her ear and whispered, ‘On a midnight clear.’

Before she could ask what he meant, he got up and kissed the back of her palm.

‘Beware of the kind faces that lurk beyond the black iron gates. Foes can disguise themselves as friends,’ he warned and walked away.

‘Wait!’ she called after him and went in pursuit, but her surroundings suddenly changed. The flowers and the little pond became blanketed by a thick layer of fog. Clara attempted to navigate herself through the blinding whiteness, calling out to the stranger until she eventually collapsed on the ground, from sore feet. She found herself growing immensely drowsy and before she knew it, fell asleep with the stranger’s words once again filling her ears.

Clara opened her eyes and was greeted by blinding sunlight streaming through a large window. She sat up and observed the large canopy bed in which she lay, surrounded by Victorian themed décor. She knitted her eyebrows, searching the depths of her mind for memories of last night’s events. Quietly, she climbed out of bed, happy that she was still in last night’s clothes. How did she end up here, she pondered, staring out the window.

A large garden loomed below, filled with endless beds of flowers and in the middle sat the tiny pond, one exactly like what she was dipping her feet in, in her dream. Weird. Was she really there? Clara felt a nagging at the back of her mind. She had spoken to someone. A man… but, she couldn’t remember who it was or what he looked or sounded like, except for a warning to be careful of people beyond the gates. The door to the room clicked open and in entered a small blonde woman in maid’s attire.

‘Good morning, milady,’ she greeted with a smile.

‘I have come to help you get ready for breakfast.’

Clara stared blankly at the woman. Did she just address her as, milady? The help stepped towards her.

‘Where am I?’ the journalist questioned.

‘At the Smith manor, milady.’

‘Manor? Are we still in Gallifrey?’

‘Yes. Now please, any further questions you have, his lordship will more than be happy to answer. It’s not wise to keep him awaiting. He grows impatient very quickly,’ the maid informed.

Clara nodded warily and followed the blonde out the door. The two women descended a long, narrow staircase, the adjacent wall adorned with various framed paintings of persons in Victorian era clothing. Clara was lead through a series of high ceiling rooms, all similarly decorated as the bedroom she awoke in. The architecture made her feel as if she were traveling back to another period. She was not surprised to see the exact setting for the dining area, with a ridiculously large table stretching across the middle of the room, with space to fit at least twenty diners.

‘Do have a seat, milady. His lordship will be with you shortly,’ announced the maid and left her gaping at the wide selection of wonderfully delicious looking dishes attractively laid before her. 

Her stomach grumbled as her nose caught the savoury aromas and she resisted filling up a plate and chowing down. She attempted to open the room's two exits, but found them both locked. Okay, so she was trapped with no way out… was she a prisoner, now? Half an hour passed and the host had not arrived. Clara grew antsy, the food before her, taunting and testing her mental strength. A loud crash made her jump, followed by solid footsteps, stomping in her direction, or so she thought. It came to a halt and two voices were heard, just on the other side of the dining room door. 

‘Let me go!’ shouted the female voice.

It sounded like Amy. A very angry Amy… but better not make assumptions. After all, people can all sound the same when their voices are muffled by a thick slab of hard wood!

‘Calm down and go home. You and the others are not to touch her, or you will face the consequences,’ barked a male voice. 

‘What about my loss?! I have nobody now and it’s all your fault!

‘It is not my responsibility if someone is injured or the worst-case scenario occurs when roaming and so forth. I have already made that clear.’

‘You stopped the initial plan by using yourself as a diversion. You knew we were waiting outside the boundaries to stake our claim, like we always do!’ the woman hissed.

‘Now a bunch of us have sustained injuries, that should never have been!’

‘I laid the warning and I know you understood it, as well as the others who already had plans. Still, you disobey me along with your bandwagon of puppets and get yourself into this mess. I should have you punished for that!’ the man yelled.

‘I am already suffering thanks to you. You cannot pin this on us. What you are doing is taboo! Sooner or later you will see the demise your choice will bring upon us all. For now, you can keep it safe but mark my words, if I ever get a chance, I will end it in the worst possible manner and savour the sweetness of revenge for myself and my now deceased lover!

‘Tread carefully with what you say, woman. Only because I have a guest awaiting my presence, I will spare you for your insolence. Be gone!’ he barked.

He was granted a loud growl and the slamming of a door was indicator that the argument was over. Clara quickly seated herself at the table, pretending not to have heard the entire commotion seconds earlier. She awaited the door to open, and it did fifteen minutes later, with the maid popping in.

‘I’m sorry milady, but his lordship will no longer be able to have breakfast with you. Something urgent has come up, but he wishes to inform you that he would like to have the pleasure of your company for dinner. He also said that later you will receive all the answers you seek and for now, you are free to roam the premises as you please, but not allowed to go beyond the gates for your own safety.’

‘Why not? Why did you lock me in this room, when you left? Am I your prisoner?’ Clara spat.

‘His lordship will explain everything later. Till then, I am instructed to tend to your every need. In the meantime, please have something to eat. If you desire help, do call for me. My name is Rose.’

The tiny woman watched as the maid left and sat alone in the large, empty room. After what she heard, which made no sense; except the notion someone died, it was only natural that her host would be upset. Still, it gave him or Rose no right to lock her in. Something was not right. She tried for the exit again, and this time it was unlocked. Until tonight, she would have to wait to meet the house’s owner and something told her if she tried to escape before then, there would be big trouble ahead. Clara hoped to soon leave this wretched town and resume her normal life. She mentally swore, as she strolled down a long corridor and bit into a jam tart, thinking of how uncomplicated life would be right now, had her GPS not malfunctioned!


	5. The stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how Clara is doing, yeah?

Chapter 5

Clara wandered the endless corridors of the manor, soaking in the strange atmosphere. The owner must have preserved the original interior and had a good deal of money to maintain it. The journalist stopped before a glass door, peering through. Behind held what appeared to be an indoor greenhouse. Carefully, she slid it open and entered. The fragrant smell of flowers and herbs greeted her. The tiny woman inhaled deeply and sighed, appreciating the scene.

The owner must really like gardening, judging from the numerous plants observed around the house and the sizeable gardens various wings overlooked. They seemed keen on roses, noting half the room was filled with the thorny bushes. The scarlet red blooms were larger than any she had ever seen and their perfume, the sweetest she ever smelt.  
Clara bent forward and picked up a freshly fallen petal, marvelling at how vibrant the colour looked despite death had already claimed it.

‘They’re hybrids,’ informed a masculine voice, startling Clara.

She turned around and spotted a rather handsome yet age-able man, perhaps in his late fifties with silver curly hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen, propped against the brick wall near the entrance. He was tall and a bit thin, clad in a black pair of trousers and waistcoat decked with a white shirt and an interesting looking red velvet jacket.

‘Apologies if I scared you,’ he said, strolling up to her, hands in his pockets.

He stopped a mere few inches from Clara, looming over her tiny frame, with a charming side grin on his face. She looked up at him, taking in his features carefully. He looked utterly familiar, yet she could not pinpoint from where, exactly. The stranger strayed his gaze from her face to her hands, noticing the large, discoloured petal between her fingers. 

He took it from her grasp and asked, ‘Why look at death when there is so much life around?’

She felt her cheeks flush, looking away shyly and had no idea why. The old man turned her face to his and she peered into those dazzling blue eyes. 

‘Who are you and why am I here?’ she asked, finally finding her voice.

‘You’re safe,’ was his answer.

‘That’s not much of an answer,’ she challenged.

He chuckled at how feisty she became in a matter of seconds.

‘I believe I should be the one asking the questions, especially seeing you’re the tourist in this town,’ he countered.

‘Well, you’re the one that brought be here and for all I know you could be a kidnapper,’ Clara snapped.

He burst into a fit of laughter, his face turning red. It was quite contagious as Clara found herself giggling along a few moments after.

‘You’ve got spirit. I admire that,’ he complimented.

‘Thank you but you still did not answer my questions, sir.’

That side smile was back and he watched the tiny woman admirably, to the point it made her feel a tad uncomfortable. His gaze for someone who only met her a few seconds ago was adoring and attentative. She held her arms akimbo, trying to hide her discomfort.

‘Well? Are you going to tell me or do I have to scream and run away and assume you kidnapped me?’

‘I tell you what, lets discuss this over dinner. Rose is preparing the table as we speak.’

Clara looked at him uncertainly, as he extended the crook of his arm for her to take. Should she really go with the flow and trust him? Suddenly that strange voice filled her head again, like the night before.

‘Trust him,’ it said.

It sounded exactly like the man but how was that possible? She looked up at him, receiving a small smile, arm still for offer. The tiny woman drew in a sharp breath and took it.   
He guided her through a brightly lit hallway, filled with open glass windows, adorned with hanging pots filled with exotic flowers. The scene looked like something from a fantasy movie. She stopped at one point, eyeing a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering around a trough of cosmos. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as a few flew past her. She walked towards the large aggregate and attempted to capture one but failed miserably. She pouted unhappily while the stranger laughed and wasted no more time, getting to their dinner. The last thing they need, was to have cold food on their plates.

\----------------------------------------------------------  
‘Butterfly lover?” he asked, carving a slice of roast beef.

‘Huge one,’ Clara confessed.

‘So, you promised me answers and answers I would really like to have.’

He looked up at her and put his utensils down.

‘Indeed,’ he began.

‘Last night I was on my way home, and I heard someone shout ‘help’. Next thing, I see you running with two wolves on your trail. I managed to follow you, although it took a while and found you unconscious on the ground, beside a dead wolf. It’s not in my nature to leave a sleeping beauty out in the dew, so I took you and brought you back here.’

‘Thank you…’ she said, the story still sinking in.

‘By chance, were there any signs of a grey wolf, when you got there?’ she inquired, hopefully.

‘No. None at all, except the dead one,’ he confirmed.

Her face grew disappointed and her host continued, ‘On another note milady, I was told your vehicle was recovered by some of the townsfolk this morning and is being fixed in the shop. Jack is the finest mechanic we have. He told me it would take at least four weeks to have the body and engine fixed.’

Clara grew wide-eyed and shouted, ‘Four weeks?! I have to be back in the city by next week! I can’t stay here for so long!’ 

He frowned and clasped his hands together, ‘Well it doesn’t look like you will be going anywhere, anytime soon milady. I am sorry such misfortune has befallen you, but you are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you like. I can try to have your belongings recovered and brought to you as well.’

‘I- I can’t take advantage of your hospitality and kindness, good sir. I thank you for everything but I really can’t stay here. I need to return home. I’ll go talk to that red-haired girl, Amy and ask if-’

Her words were cut off as the old man stood up immediately and said firmly,’ You should not go beyond the gate. It’s not safe to be amongst the villagers.’

Clara sat back in her chair, suddenly feeling scared.

‘I was fine yesterday and they were helpful. I don’t see the prob-’

‘It’s not safe. No-one came to your help last night when you were running up the road, and there were no lights on in any of the houses. Does that not sound suspicious to you? It’s a miracle I saw you when I did, else you would have been dogfood!’ he growled.

Clara folded her arms and thought for a moment.

‘Well, I find it suspicious you were walking around so late at night, to just suddenly see me screaming for help,’ she argued.

‘You will not leave this manor, unless accompanied by myself or I deem it safe!’ 

She gasped in surprise at the outburst, fear taking over.

‘Thank you for everything but I’m not staying here!’

She bolted out the room before he could stop her and headed to what she assumed was the correct way to the front door. As she tried the knob, she found it locked. Perfect. She tried another route and was met with the same circumstance. Only one more possible route left. Clara ran down the corridor bordered with the glass windows and found all shut tight. Grabbing a pot, she flung it hard and climbed through the newly made hole; racing towards the gate. Quickly she pulled the heavy iron open and ran down the street towards Jack’s shop, hoping to find her car or some other means of transport out of Gallifrey.


	6. Attempted Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things lead to another.

Chapter 6

The sun was almost down when Clara arrived at Jack’s shop. The darkness slowly stretched across the sky, casting ominous shadows. 

‘Hello?’ she called, cautiously.

No answer.

Clara looked around and found her poor car sitting on a ramp, the bonnet and entire front of the vehicle smashed and crumpled like a piece of paper. She poked her head through the window and noted the keys were no longer in the ignition. Then again, even if it were, the car didn’t start when she tried turning it on after she ran into the tree. Maybe she was overthinking and being ungrateful towards the stranger that helped her, but ever since she ended up in this town, she had the impulse to flee. 

Clara snooped around the shop, noting there were no other vehicles present, except for a small motorcycle, parked up alongside the small office. Stealing was something she never thought she would find herself doing, but at the moment, it seemed like a really good idea. The journalist opened the unlocked office door and poked around, hoping to find the keys. No luck. God, her chances of leaving were growing slimmer by the second! She tugged at her hair, thinking of what to do next.

‘What are you doing here?’ boomed a deep voice.

She spun around and saw Jack standing a few feet away, one arm cast in a sling while his face bore purple bruises all over. Apart from the injuries, something about him looked different than yesterday. Very different.

‘I was told my car got dragged back here and was wondering if you could rent or sell me a car or even this here bike, so I can get back home. I’ll send you a check, I promise,’ she explained, desperately.

He stared at her, calm and collective, emanating a strange aura. Clara took a step back, the air around her suddenly stifling.

‘You know what, I’ll ask Amy…’ she stated and immediately rushed off. 

Walking up the road, she could not recall ever asking for the ginger’s address, so she opted for returning to the hotel she stayed overnight. Halfway there, Clara felt goosebumps radiate throughout her body. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at her surroundings. Something or someone was watching her. She ran the rest of the way to the lodge and frantically rang the receptionist’s bell.

When no-one emerged, she rang it again. 

‘You rang?’ called a voice behind her.

Clara turned around slowly and saw Donna accompanied by a large black wolf, staring at her. She smiled nervously.

‘Y-you’re pet?’ she asked kindly, hoping that was the answer.

The woman smiled a sinister smile and said, ‘More like, my brethren.’

Clara could not believe her eyes when she saw Donna take the form of a honey eyed, brown wolf. What the fuck was happening?! Was this real? Instinctively, the young woman pinched herself, hoping this was a dream. Nope. Both wolves growled hungrily and ran after her, as she bolted out the adjacent exit and up the hill towards her previous cabin. She pulled at the door, but it was locked. That was quite a trend in this place, wasn’t it?

Without any options, she darted into the blackness of the forest, running blindly. Her skin snagged on thorny shrubs and thickets, as she scrambled through the dense vegetation. She was thankful when she tumbled into a clearing, occupied by a small lake. The tiny woman glanced behind, spotting the glowing eyes of her pursuers closing in. Without much thought, she dove into the water.

The black liquid was cold and felt like thousands of needles were stabbing her body all at once. Every stroke hurt, her lungs burning as she swam to the other end. Close to the shore, she noticed the animals awaiting her arrival, their eyes locked on her small frame, barely able to keep above the freezing water. She gasped, the turn of events increasing her desperation. If she stayed in the water, she would die from hypothermia or drown. If she made it to the shore, she would not have the strength to fend off the wolves awaiting her.

Either situation ended in her demise. Her eyes stung and a tear rolled down her cheek, as she thought of how sudden her life was going to end and nobody would ever know where she died or how. Her limbs began to ache and she sank under the surface, quickly resurfacing and gasping for air, as she tried to hold on for dear life. A loud, aggressive roar filled the night air and out of the forest emerged her grey wolf.

Her attackers immediately scampered off, tail tucked between their legs into the darkness beyond. Clara looked toward the shore trying to sight her wolf. Instead of him on the safety of the bank, she spotted him swimming towards her. As he closed the gap, she grabbed onto his fur and glided through the water until they were safely on land. Clara burst into tears and hugged her wolf tightly, thanking him over and over, ignoring her uncontrollable shivering.

‘Go back to the manor,’ a voice in her mind commanded her.

She really should do that. The old man had warned her about that and she didn’t listen, all feelings of unease aside.

‘I have to get back to the safety of the manor. Can you help?’

The wolf tilted its head to one side and lead the way. As Clara re-emerged into the vicinity of the hotel, it disappeared. She looked around, hoping to catch sight of him as fear dominated her emotions. She did not want to be alone, especially after seeing a woman turn into a wild dog and then attack her. A soft rustling alerted her something was approaching. A glowing pair of green eyes peeked out from behind a large tree trunk, a low growl resounding indefinitely.

‘Milady!’ shouted a voice from the distance. She squinted her eyes and spotted the handsome stranger yielding a flashlight, jogging up to her. Clara felt embarrassed and yet so relieved when she saw him. Without hesitation, she ran towards the old man like a child who had just been reunited with her parents. She looked over to the tree trunk and watched as the green eyes retreated into the darkness.

‘I’m so glad to see you,’ she admitted, her voice hoarse.

‘I warned you not to go past the gates! You must trust me on this. It’s dangerous out here, especially at night!’ he hissed.

Clara looked down at her feet, her entire body trembling. The stranger tore off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

‘I’m not going to hurt you, milady. Please, we need to return to the manor immediately,’ he urged in a softer, gentler tone.

Clara thought about it for a second. She had no friends here, and barely knew anyone. The man before her had just saved her neck, twice. Although she felt uncomfortable being in a large house with a complete unknown, it may be a lot wiser to listen to him and stay put, till her situation resolved. To do that, she needed help and that required trusting someone. 

‘I’m sorry for not listening to you,’ she apologized.

‘It’s alright. I understand that everything was very sudden for you.’

She granted him a half smile and they both walked back to his home, side by side. On their way, Clara did not let the sharp, glowing eyes hidden in the shadows go unnoticed, as they passed. Her time in Gallifrey was going to be a lot longer than she thought and she prayed to God, that she was making the right decision by trusting the old man.


	7. Werewolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think Clara figured out the puzzle? Let's find out!

Chapter 7

Clara winced as the stranger dabbed at the fresh cuts on her face, with a warm, wet towel.

‘Don’t worry, these won’t form scars on your pretty face,’ he assured her, with a small smile.

She bit down on her lip, as he applied topical ointment, next. 

‘Smells nice. What is it?’ she asked, nodding to the small jar he held, filled with a pink cream.

‘My own personal remedy for cuts, sores, bruises and minor pain. It’s made with raspberries, mint leaves, a couple wild herbs and a special mushroom. Invented it myself,’ he explained.

‘I hope I’m not the guinea pig for it,’ she joked.

He frowned and then chuckled lightly, ‘No. Not at all. I use it on all my patients. Never had a complaint.’

‘Are you a doctor?’ she asked curiously.

‘I am,’ he replied, moving on to remove a wedged thorn from one of the many scratches on her arm.

Clara yanked her limb from his grasp and whined, rubbing the area till the stinging sensation subsided. The doctor grabbed it back and continued his work.

‘I know I said this before, but I’m sorry for running away and causing you trouble…’

‘And for breaking my window,’ he added, unhappily.

Clara pouted, ‘I’m sorry about that too. Is there anything I can do to fix it? Maybe I can order a new window?’

The doctor took a while before he answered and then said, ‘Well, you’re going to be here a while till your car gets fixed. We have no internet and cellphones don’t work in this region, so boredom is going to hit you fast. In the meantime, you can try not to break any more windows for a start…’

‘I promise I won’t do it again!’

‘Good,’ he said sternly, ‘And listen to everything I tell you. It will keep you safe, milady.’

‘Clara.’

He looked up at her in surprise.

‘My name is Clara. You don’t have to call me, milady. Nobody uses that term anymore, but it is nice to hear,’ she said with a sweet smile.

‘And may I ask, what is your name, kind sir?’

‘The doctor.’

She frowned at him.

‘Doctor? That’s it? Don’t you have a normal name? Like John? Harry? Basil?’

He smirked and shook his head.

‘No. Just, the doctor.’

‘Oh-kay then. Well, thank you again for all what you have and are doing for me, doctor.’

‘My pleasure, Clara.’

\---------------------------------------------------

 

The doctor sat in his study, feet up on the desk, in deep thought. After tending to Clara’s minor injuries, her mind was far and it took a bit of coaxing to get her to spill. She insisted that it was nothing and she’d sound crazy but he assured her that everything she told him would go unjudged. The tiny woman had explained in significant detail of how Donna had turned into a wolf and her fellow wolf counterpart chased her into the woods. Clara kept staring at him, looking for any hint of amusement or disbelief on his face.  
His expression remained neutral throughout her entire babble and when she was finished, he felt sympathy for her. He saw the distress and wished that he could take it all away. The doctor insisted that she forget what she saw. Sometimes the mind plays tricks when you’re scared, he’d told her; replaying the entire event in his mind.

‘You don’t believe me!’ she accused.

‘Of course, I do!’ he defended.

‘Then why are you dismissing it, like I’m talking nonsense?!’

Should he tell her? She already knew Donna was a wolf and it won’t be long before she found out the others were and of course him.

‘Forget what you saw, it’s for the best.’

She folded her arms and glared at him. If you want me to trust you, you need be honest with me to get it in return,’ she cautioned.

‘It’s clear you are hiding something. There’s no small reason you do not wish for me to leave the house either. What’s going on in this town, doctor?’

He averted his eyes and felt her hand grip his wrist. 

‘If I tell you, there’s no way of going back. You have to swear secrecy.’

‘I swear.’

He turned, fully facing her and instructed, ’Look into my eyes.’

So, she did and in seconds her facial expression changed, posture growing rigid. She sank back into her seat panting heavily, pupils dilated and eyes open wide.

‘Oh my stars… YOU! I dreamt you the first night I was here and I never remembered when I woke up! Even heard you in my head! How is that possible?!’

She stood up and backed away.

‘Is this some sort of magic? Why didn’t I ever remember seeing you or recognize your voice, but always remembered what you told me?’

‘Because I erased it from your mind but left my words in your subconciousness. I just gave you back your memories I took…’ he said, feeling a bit ashamed.

‘Why? Those are my memories. You had no right!’ she hissed.

‘When you refused to give me your name, it dawned on me that it’d be better to not get involved because, if I got to know you, I’d never want you to leave here... and that wouldn’t be right. But, then things changed and I heard word of preparation for a hunt. I grew suspicious and went to investigate and managed to stall them but then things changed when you crashed your car.’

Hunt. Car crash. Realization began to dawn on her, as everything fell into place.

‘The grey wolf…’ she started slowly, ‘…look at me, doctor.’

He did as she asked and she peered into those blue eyes, observed his wonderful fluff of silver hair.

‘You’re him,’ she whispered.

Why hadn’t she seen it before? Why’d she ignore the signs? Even though he erased her memory of him, his physical human form and the wolf being the same person was so obvious.

‘It was you the whole time,’ she gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth.

‘I didn’t mean to frighten you the first time. I was merely curious to see who the visitor was and when I saw you, you took my breath away. It’s been years since I last laid my eyes on a human, especially a woman as beautiful as you, Clara. The others were planning to ambush you outside the town-line with me assuming you left unharmed. That’s why I ran in front your car, trying to get you to stop, turn around and hopefully guide you to the manor, but instead you crashed…’

‘You still saved me. More than once…’ she said softy.

He gave her a sad smile.

‘So then… are you a werewolf?’

The doctor nodded slowly.

‘Show me,’ she suddenly demanded.

‘I need to see, to believe all this…’

The doctor looked up at her in surprise. Well, she saw Donna change, it shouldn’t be so bad now, right?

‘Are you…sure?’

‘Uh huh…’ she answered shakily.

He slowly and without much effort he changed; his human skin replaced with grey fur, bipedalism exchanged for quads. Clara gaped at him, face pale.

‘Clara? Are you alright?’ he asked, his voice filling her mind.

‘Y-You can talk to me too… I really wasn’t hearing voices…’ she stuttered.

‘No. I can speak to you in both forms. I’m the only one who possesses this ability unlike the others.’

‘Others? You mean… the rest of the village are werewolves as well…?’

‘Yes.’

Clara gave a nervous chuckle and suddenly felt faint. The room began spinning and her body felt very heavy. Darkness began to envelope her and the last thing she heard was the doctor calling her name.


	8. From years ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more of the doctor's background... and a little fluff.

Chapter 8

Clara awoke to the sweet sound of a piano. The tiny woman followed the music, emerging into a lovely mint green room; and in the middle, sat the doctor gracefully dancing his fingers across the black and white keys. He looked like he tumbled out of bed and didn’t bother to change clothes. His blue shirt was wrinkled, messily tucked into his pants. He wore the same black trousers from the night before, no shoes and his hair was wonderfully wild, sticking out at odd angles. In a way he looked adorable, especially how he bit his bottom lip as he focussed on playing.

‘You know, it’s impolite to stare,’ he said, gaze never leaving the piano keys.

Clara chuckled, ‘Sorry… didn’t mean to eavesdrop.’

‘May I join you…?’ she asked carefully.

He looked her way briefly and smiled, scooting over on the bench for her to have a seat. She immediately made herself comfortable and smiled, watching his fingers skilfully produce the relaxing tune. 

‘Slept well?’ he asked.

Clara’s face grew red. After seeing John change into a wolf last night and learning that the entire town were werewolves, her brain overloaded with the thought of other worldly phenomena existing and fainted. The doctor had taken her to the room she currently occupied and spoke to her in a dream. He called it ‘spirit walking’, where one had the ability to communicate with a person’s waking consciousness while they slept. He asked if she was alright and to his relief she was. They chatted for a while, exchanging details of their jobs, family life and dreams. The doctor explained he was originally from Scotland and over a hundred years old. He delved into his family history a bit, explaining both his parents were wealthy descendants of great wolf bloodlines. Their kind mingled regularly with humans in terms of business but never on an intimate level. It was considered taboo for interspecies unions and anyone opposing that law of nature were immediately beheaded along with their lover.

His face grew sad when he shed light on why he left his homeland. He was in his thirtieth year and was already a practicing physician when he fell in love with a human patient. His parents forbade it, and he was aware of the consequences. As a means of avoiding being killed along with his love, they agreed to flee the country and board the next ship to the Americas. Sadly, friends of his father saw them board the vessel. The day they landed on the new continent, they were ambushed by men sent by his old man and his human wife-to-be was killed. He swore to seek revenge for her death and hunted each one of them down, slaughtering them mercilessly. He sent word to his father on the next shipment vessel, along with a finger of each of his victims and a note saying he cut ties with his family permanently. The years to follow, he wandered, working in shops here and there, till he settled in British Columbia, investing his savings into a lumber company. Business boomed when the construction of a railway throughout the province took place, and thus was how Gallifrey was built. 

Clara had felt nothing but sadness for him but he continued saying later on, he found that the town population, which were all human based except him began to dwindle. Some days he would find carcasses deep in the forest half mauled, or tortured from sport hunting. He immediately knew it was wolves and set traps to catch them. What he did not expect to find was a naked injured woman tangled in his snare. She was very young and blonde and said her name was Rose and was separated from her family after being ambushed by humans. Apparently, their kind were well known amongst the humans and were hunted, as they killed livestock and sometimes preyed on anyone who were passing in the wrong place at the wrong time. He felt sympathy for her and opened up his home and town to her. She graciously accepted and worked as his maid ever since, after much protest from the doctor. Eventually, more werewolves began to show up. Although he tried in vain to make things normal and attempt the old trend of humans and werewolves living together, the humans grew suspicious, packed up their belongings and left. In return, the doctor took all stranded werewolves in with open arms, offering them the empty houses as humble abodes to carry on with their lives.

For years it was that way, him as the wealthy town owner, overseeing matters and ensuring everyone was treated fair. The wolves of this part of the world were different from him. They consisted of lower bloodlines, giving them a smaller stature when they changed. A few bore traces of higher blood such as Jack, who had a stockier, slightly larger build. He made mention that these werewolves were unlike his kind back at home, who hunted humans for food and sport in large packs. Any humans trespassing, he allowed the townsfolk to hunt them, to keep word of the town, minimal. Recreational hunting was otherwise not allowed. However, as the years went by, a few members formed their own gang, disobeying his word and occasionally he was forced to physically step in. To make matters worse, they had a strong influence on the other townsfolk and bit by bit, he was slowly losing control, clearly seen with their attempts on Clara. Clara was the first human in months to wander into the town and she was too good to resist. Besides, it was a nice change from the local wildlife around. However, the doctor confessed when he saw her for the first time, his heart skipped a beat and he could not let her fall into their hands. 

‘Yes, I did. So I forgot to ask you something last night… do wolves age like humans? Because, you’re like really old…’

He scowled at her.

‘Some do. Some don’t. I’ll still outlive you and other humans. Besides, my aging stopped years ago. This is how I’ll look for the rest of my life from now on, sadly.’

She patted his back and teased,’ It’s not a bad look once you get past the wrinkled clothes and messy hair.’

He did not reply.

‘How long have you been playing?’ she asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

‘Forever,’ he answered with a grin.

‘Can you play?’

She shook her head. The doctor stopped and took her hands, carefully arranging her fingers on the keys and instructed her what keys made which sound. Clara tried to listen but her attention was focussed on the warmth radiating from his large hands and how soft they felt, atop hers. 

‘I’m not afraid of you,’ she said all of a sudden.

He looked at her, confusion written on his face.

‘I’m not afraid of you because you’re a werewolf and I think what you did with Rose and taking in the others was admirable.’

The doctor gave her a sad smile and resumed playing. 

‘I mean it,’ she confirmed.

‘I know you do,’ he replied.

She frowned sensing something was wrong.

‘Did I say something I shouldn’t?’

He shook his head and finished his song, before looking at her.

‘Not at all, it’s just something else…’

‘What else?’ she asked, concerned.

He stopped playing and took a deep breath.

‘I’m just thinking of how hard it’s going to be when you leave and…’

‘And?’ she prodded.

‘And how it’s hard, trying not fall in love with you while you’re here…’


	9. Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clara really wants out, but does her heart or the doctor agree with her?

Chapter 9

Clara stared at the doctor in surprise. Did he even realize what he just said? His eyes bore so much sadness, that for a second she almost felt the urge to hug him. They held each other’s gaze for a few moments, the old man’s blue irises lovelier than ever in the soft morning light.

‘So, do you have a landline?’ she asked, changing the subject.

He knitted his eyebrows.

‘In fact, I do. But like I said before, I have no internet and I don’t use cellphones. If you require those services, I’d recommend the library but you’re currently under house arrest,’ he retorted.

‘Is that what you’re calling it now?’ she said, raising an eyebrow, rather amused.

‘Anyway, is it possible I can borrow your phone, then? I can call for help or someone to come pick me up! That way you won’t have to keep me here or worry about anyone trying to eat me!’ she said happily, with a bright smile.

‘No.’

She grimaced, ‘What do you mean, no? It’s the best option!’

He cracked his knuckles and said,’ Calling for help or getting someone to come pick you up, means that they will have to come here. That risks exposing us to more outsiders and that’s more bad than good, because the townsfolk will hunt and kill them or try to. I’m losing control and I don’t know how long I can hold them in place. Till then, it’s better not to have anymore visitors.’

‘I understand the risk, but I can’t stay here till my car is fixed… if it ever will be because Jack is the only mechanic and despite how much you threaten him, I doubt he will ever do the job!’ she argued.

‘I know you don’t want anyone to know of here for their and your protection, but it’s worth a risk, doctor.’

He slid his hands into his pockets, without uttering a word.

‘Doctor, please. I have a life outside this town. A job and family who will be concerned if I don’t turn up soon. You have to let me go…’

She placed her hand atop his, hoping to add weight to her plea. With the doctor’s earlier statements, it didn’t take much to realize he was attracted to her. It was bad she was using this to her advantage to escape, but she couldn’t stay here longer. It would reduce the stress on him having to ensure her safety every moment, while she slowly felt the walls of the house close in on her.

‘I only just found you… can’t you stay a bit longer?’ he asked in almost a whisper.

Clara’s heart lurched.

‘I’m sorry…’ she replied, withdrawing her hand.

He took a deep breath, knowing he really should never have gotten involved and had the town deal with her. God, he wanted her to stay. Despite the few days she was here, he felt less alone and after the conversation they had the night before, he got the notion she understood him. She even admitted to not being afraid of his unnatural abilities. But life was a cruel, wicked thing and she was right. He couldn’t keep her, as much as he wanted to. There was no way a human and a werewolf could be destined together, whether they loved each other or not. Nature wouldn’t allow it and in a way, it was happening here. Clara would never understand how he felt when he saw her for the first time and how intense it grew as the days went by. He was going to miss her. At least, the memory of briefly knowing this amazing human, made him feel less small in his gigantic world. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and reluctantly offered her a solution.

‘I have a car… it’s out back. I rarely use it, because its faster to travel as a wolf, but it works. I’ll drive you to Kildeer. It’s the nearest town. Meet me back here in one hour,’ he ordered and stalked out of the room.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------  
The doctor was upset. Clara understood his lonely past and how sad it must have been living all these years by himself. Despite he had Rose, it was eminent that he sought someone to love and love him in return. Maybe, just maybe, if they had met under different circumstances; she’d have stuck around or hell, even date him as she found him rather charming.

She glanced up at the clock on the wall. Twelve-thirty. It was almost an hour and a half and the doctor had not arrived yet. Where could he be? As if he heard her silent request, he popped into the room dressed in his red velvet coat, from their first meeting carrying a small backpack and a jacket.

‘It’s a bit chilly outside,’ he mumbled, helping her put it on.

He held the bag out to her.

‘For your travel needs. Clothes and some food to last you a couple days,’ he explained.

Clara opened it and found exactly what he said, including a white envelope filled with at least ten, one hundred dollar bills.

‘I can’t take your money,’ she protested, returning the envelope.

He pushed her hand away and shook his head.

‘You’ll need it to get home. Please, for all the trouble we’ve put you through…’

She looked at his face, the lines creased more deeply than before. His were eyes sad, yet he held a small smile in attempt to hide how he truly felt. Clara wished there was something comforting she could say but was at a loss. He offered the crook of his arm which she took and exited the room in a hurry.

The ride to the nearest town took three hours. Ironically enough, it was her original destination, Kildeer. The doctor informed that it was built around the same time as Gallifrey, and many of his townsfolk who left, settled there and made a decent living, mining coal in the nearby trenches and dug out caves. Werewolves once hunted around the vicinity but stopped a long time ago after their existence became well known and any wolf spotted was shot on sight, day or night by persons assigned to keep watch.

‘Here we are,’ he announced, pulling up alongside a small lodge.

He jumped out his seat and opened the door for Clara like a perfect gentleman. She smiled and took his hand, which he offered and helped her out.

‘Well… this is it. Thank you for everything, doctor. I don’t think I’ll ever forget you and what you’ve done for me.’

He forced a smile and nodded at the tiny woman.

‘May I keep in contact?’ he asked, hopefully.

‘I-I don’t know if that’s a good idea…’

‘Sorry. Stupid of me to ask.’

He turned to walk away but stopped and asked, ‘Can I request one more thing from you? You can say no, if you don’t want to.’

‘What is it?’ she inquired curiously.

‘May I kiss you?’

It took her a while to register the question. Should she? After all, it could be her way of partly repaying her debt. 

‘Yes,’ she said breathlessly.

The doctor walked up to the tiny woman, towering over her small frame and lightly caressed her left cheek, before leaning forward and gently pressing his lips against hers. Clara felt goosebumps all over her body, at the point of connection; a tingling sensation running down her belly to her core. As the doctor pulled away, he looked her in the eye, gulping down hard.

‘Goodbye, Clara.’

She watched as he sprinted to his car, her lips still tingling from their kiss. Did she do the right thing, by leaving so soon? Were her troubles over? The journalist watched as the doctor drove off, her heart suddenly heavy in her chest and completely unaware of the green-eyed ginger watching her from behind some nearby bushes.


	10. Revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, your new chapter!
> 
> I honestly am currently winging this story unlike the last one. Wherever my frame of mind is, I just go with the flow O_o
> 
> Enjoy and thanks for all the comments :)

Chapter 10

Kildeer was another sleepy town like Gallifrey, but with humans and not werewolves. The ancient train ran through the city twice daily and it was just Clara’s misfortune to miss it by half an hour. The next scheduled ride was for ten the following morning. She flicked her wrist and noted the time, five o’clock on the dot. She released a yawn and thought she could do with a long nap. 

Clara returned to the lodge, booking a small room that overlooked the forest behind the building. It was nicer than Donna’s, comprising of a cute balcony and much better décor despite the smaller area. It lacked only one thing… the doctor. The journalist sank onto the bed, thinking of their kiss earlier and was surprised how she felt when their lips touched.

It was a strange sensation, but not an unpleasant one. Those beautiful yet sad blue eyes occupied her mind, and soon enough she fell asleep thinking of her handsome werewolf. Clara bolted upright in bed, surrounded by darkness. She sat still, the sound of her shallow breathing breaking the almost unnatural silence. The hairs on the back of her neck stood and goosebumps riddled her body as an all too familiar voice spoke, ‘Hello Clara.’

Amy sat on the far corner of the bed, sharpening a small hunting knife. Her green eyes glowed unnaturally in the dim light, as they sized up her prey. Clara eyed the weapon and knew all too well why the ginger wanted her dead. The doctor had informed her that she sought revenge after bludgeoning her boyfriend to death, the night she crashed.

‘W-What are you doing here?’ she asked, carefully.

‘You know very well, little human. You killed my mate!’ she hissed, pointing the sharpened piece of steel at her.

Clara gulped and looked at the door. Amy followed her gaze and grinned wickedly.

‘You can try… I do love a good hunt. I’ll give you a headstart,’ she taunted and began counting to ten.

Clara wasted no time, scrambling to her feet and bolting out the door. As she entered the small foyer, she noted the blood-spattered walls and the young receptionist, merely a young man lying dead on the floor. His throat looked as if it were bitten out; his chest was cut open by something sharp… like a knife. The brunette began to shake, her eyes welling up and the thundering footsteps descending the stairwell, snapped her back to reality.

She dashed out in the open and ran to the nearest building, pounding on the doors. No-one answered, despite the lights were on. The street was empty and strangely quiet as she ran the entire length shouting for help. Not a soul came to her aid, despite on several accounts she spotted shadows observing her from behind drawn curtains. Frantically, the tiny woman looked around and spotted an old man climbing into his car. 

‘Help!’ she screamed, running towards him

He smiled as she approached, tears streaming down her eyes.

‘Someone is trying to kill me! Help me, please!’

The man watched her and laughed, his breath thick with alcohol. 

He ran a hand through Clara’s hair and said,’ Pretty girl. Give me a kiss.’

She shoved him aside and dove into his car, stepping on the pedal. Where would she go? Where could she go? Everywhere possible was surrounded by forest for miles. Her closest bet was to return to Gallifrey. The blurred view of the bordering forest zoomed by as Clara raced up the lonely road, her fog lights illuminating her way. A tall figure dove out from the darkness and landed on the hood. The brunette hit the brakes causing the silhouette to roll off. In seconds, it stood up and was none other than Amy.

Clara locked the doors and was about to step on the accelerator when the ginger smashed a fist into the windshield, sending shards of glass flying in her direction. The journalist screamed and pedaled the gas, hoping to shake the mad woman, but she hung on. Amy smashed into the glass again, and grabbed Clara by the throat. She began gagging and attempted to again hit the brakes, but she felt her strength diminishing. Without much thought, she pulled up the handbrakes, the car coming to an abrupt halt.

Amy flew off the vehicle and connected with the worn asphalt. Clara coughed and took deep breaths, trying to regain control. The driver’s door was torn off and strong hands grabbed her by the hair, dragging her out the metal cage. The tiny woman spat blood when a fist connected with her face. Pain soared through her body, as punches repeatedly landed in her stomach. She crumpled to the floor, body numbly splayed out on the ground.

‘Now to make you suffer, slow and painful,’ she chuckled.

The red head stooped over the woman and ripped open her shirt; dragging the pointed tip over her soft skin. Clara gasped as the cold metal ran over her skin and released an agonizing scream as it cut into her flesh.

‘Oh, do shut up. It’s only a small cut,’ she spat.

Amy licked the blood from the knife and sighed happily.

‘Human flesh is so much tastier than the shit we have to eat from the forest. The doctor is an idiot. Do you really think he could protect you forever?’

Tears streamed down Clara’s eyes, the burning in her torso growing unbearable. How she wished he were here to help her now. The she-wolf sliced across her skin again, deliberately slow, Clara shrieking in pain.

‘Oh, don’t worry, it gets better. I’ve merely given you a couple flesh wounds,’ Amy cackled loudly.

‘Where’s your doctor now, bitch?’ 

‘Right here,’ came the voice Clara thought she would never hear again.

Amy had no time to avoid the silver bullet that shot through her brain. Her body fell to the ground with a thud and the doctor, huffing and covered in sweat stepped over her like a discarded piece of trash and whipped off his jacket.

‘Clara! Clara, can you hear me?’ he asked in a panic, slowly digesting the horror that had been done to her.

‘D-Doc…tor…?’ she whimpered.

‘I’m here, milady. I’m here.’

He gritted his teeth, wishing he’d made Amy suffer first, before ending her life. The bitch had carved her name on Clara’s torso and beaten her to a pulp. Her eyes were swollen, her face bloodied and chest and abdomen covered in cuts and bad bruises. Briskly he covered her exposed half with his jacket, ensuring to be extra careful not to apply pressure to her fresh wounds and effortlessly lay her in the backseat of the stolen car. 

‘Doc…tor…’ Clara sniffled, attempting to get a glimpse of him from where she lay.

‘I’m here,’ he said, taking her hand.

‘D-Don’t le-leave m-m-me…’ she choked.

The doctor’s heart sank with those words. Don’t get involved, he kept telling himself. It will not end well. He looked at her and pursed his lips. So be it! The old man was already falling in love with her and the more he fought it or tried to avoid it, something brought him back to Clara.

He smiled at the brunette and planted a kiss atop her forehead before replying, ‘I’ll never leave you, again. Ever.’


	11. Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how Clara's holding up after the aftermath!

Chapter 11

The doctor sat in the armchair beside Clara’s bed, utterly exhausted. He managed to take the swelling down and sanitize the wounds and bruises but his most challenging bit was removing Amy’s name etched on her stomach. The cuts thankfully were not as deep as he suspected but would mark. The old physician searched every book in his study for an old remedy his bloodline used to remove bodily marks from battle scars to minor scratches.

When he found it, he sent Rose off to the garden to gather the required herbs and spent the entire half of the night preparing the medicine. It was administered to the ailing brunette intravenously via an injection. Apart from removing scars, it shortened healing time of the individual it was given to, which was a good thing in Clara’s case.  
The werewolf took her hand and stroked it gently with his thumb. Killing Amy was going to have repercussions and he knew that his back was or soon was going to be a target. After placing Clara in the car, he dragged Amy’s body into the bordering forest, poured some siphoned gas onto the cadaver and set it ablaze. Soon enough someone will notice she was missing… it was only a matter of time. 

Thankfully he was duly notified upon arrival to Gallifrey earlier in the day after returning from Kildeer, that Amy left town shortly after he did with Clara. He immediately drove back in search of her, eventually stumbling upon the dead lodging receptionist and a faint trail of Amy and Clara’s scent. He followed the smell on foot through the forest which had to be the path Amy took and came upon the horrific scene.

The old man kissed the back of his human’s hand and set it gently beside her.

‘I’m so sorry,’ he whispered to her and left the room. 

Rose offered him a cup of tea which he gratefully took and stared up at the star-studded sky from his bedroom’s balcony. Clara was in absolute danger now and there was no way she could leave Gallifrey without anyone noticing her and the doctor’s movements. He undid the buttons of his shirt and left it open; the chilly hair prickling the smooth skin of his bony chest. He’d try to make her stay as comfortable as possible until things ironed out and maybe he could find a loophole and sneak her out of town. His eyes wandered to the stack of boxes piled to the corner of the room. 

Hopefully, Clara would be stuck with him for a while despite her dismal situation. The doctor wanted to spend time with her, get to know her and love her even if it were from afar. It was selfish of him, but he felt the universe owed him. Even if she did not love him in return, just not being alone for a while was good enough. 

\--------------------------------------------

Clara tossed and turned her head as the memories of the night before replayed in her mind. Amy’s attempt to kill her, the pain, the poor victim at the lodge… the doctor.

‘Clara!’ called a distant voice.

‘Clara, wake up!’

She opened her eyes and attempted to sit up, but was met with a sharp pain in his stomach. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and gently pushed her back onto the bed. The small woman looked up and found the doctor’s solemn face staring at her. He dabbed at her brow which was caked with sweat.

‘Doctor…’ she wheezed, blinking a couple of times.

‘You were having a nightmare. Don’t worry, you’re safe,’ he assured, concern plastered over his masculine features.

‘Amy… she killed that boy… There was so much blood. She almost killed me… I thought I was dead…’

‘Shhhh, I took care of her. She’s is never going to harm you again,’ he reassured, caressing her discoloured cheek.

Tears spilt down her face, her breath shaky.

‘I’m supposed to be dead…’ she croaked, her features growing distraught.

He climbed onto the bed and scooped his arm under her neck, tucking her into his side. She leaned into his chest, breaking into loud sobs while he held her close and stroked her head.

‘I’ll do all that I can to keep you safe, Clara. I promise you that. Unfortunately, you’ll have to stay here a bit longer till you heal and the situation gives us a chance to get you out. 

Killing Amy is going to have a backlash and I need to be prepared to deal with the outcome, starting with keeping you out of harm’s way,’ he explained.

Clara sniffled and asked,’ Can’t they attack us in the manor?’

‘No. I have wards put up, that keep the lesser blood out. However, I can allow them to safely enter by lowering it, if I choose.’

‘Do you have other powers besides changing into a wolf and dream walking?’

He chuckled and rest his head atop hers.

‘I’m a rather good magician and am quite good at making lovely women named ‘Clara’ smile,’ he teased.

‘Oh?’ she asked, a hint of a smile already on her lips, ‘How?’

Slowly, the doctor sat up and held his hands in front of him. He counted to five, blew over his fingers and shoved them into his pocket, producing a small red rose.

‘That was the worse magic trick I’ve ever seen,’ she giggled weakly, accepting the rose.

‘It was a bad act, but at least I was right about making you smile,’ he beamed with his charming side grin.

‘How bad are my injuries?’ she inquired, taking a sniff at the delicate flower.

‘They were bad, but I’ve done a lot of damage control. The bruises on your face and stomach will disappear in a few days. The pain as well, while the cuts will leave scars, especially the ones on your abdomen.’

Clara’s face fell, her eyes beginning to brim with tears again, at the bad part of the news.

‘But, I’ve given you a remedy used by ancestors for centuries. It works instantly for wolves but for humans, it’ll take a couple days instead of weeks or months depending on the severity of the injury. The scars you have will disappear completely. You won’t even know they were there.’

He looked at her, granting a wishful smile. To his surprise, she took his hand and held it to her lips.

‘Thank you, doctor. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you,’ she whispered and placed a soft kiss on his knuckles, a sign of gratitude.

‘You…being here unharmed… and smiling as you were earlier, is all I need, Clara,’ he replied.

‘Don’t worry daft old man. I’m not going anywhere…’ 

The werewolf frowned, a questioning look on his face.

‘You’ve only just found me and clearly everytime I try to leave, I’ve been stopped. Maybe… its destiny and I’m supposed to stay here for a bit. So, that’s what I’m going to do… even after everything works out for now…’

‘What about your job? Your family?’ he asked carefully.

‘I’ll call them and talk to them, tomorrow. But… I want to know… is it okay if I stay here longer than you were intending for me to…?’

‘No. Not at all. You can stay as long as you like,’ he answered, his face glowing with happiness.


	12. Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clara phones home!

Chapter 12

Clara hung up the phone and sighed, resting her head against the wall’s cool surface. She called her boss informing she found nothing interesting in Kildeer and was exploring other options, requiring more time. Thankfully he was an easy-going fellow and told her to take as much time as she needed; once she got something good and submitted within a three-month deadline for the next quarterly issue. 

Calling her father on the other hand, was a different story. After giving him the basics that she was not going to be home a lot longer than anticipated, he switched to complete dad-mode, ranting on how he barely saw her because her job took most of her time and she was nearing her thirties. 

Mr. Oswald wanted Clara to settle down and have kids but with the way Clara’s life led currently, there was no sign of that soon. Clara’s last boyfriend had dumped her five years ago and ever since, she gave up on dating, putting all her energy into her job. The moment he brought the topic up, she excused herself, told Mr. Oswald she loved him and hung up. Why do family complicate things at times? She sighed loudly, rubbing the space between her eyes. 

‘Is everything alright?’ asked the doctor, holding two cups of tea.

Clara looked over to him and gave a weak smile. Her body hurt, she felt dizzy and wished someone could pamper her till she regained her strength.

‘It’s all good. Boss gave me extra time to dig around.’

‘But?’ continued the doctor, setting the cups down and walking over to her.

‘But… my dad doesn’t like that I’m going to be away for so long. At least he won’t be lonely with Linda, there. I swear, we get off on the wrong foot everytime he starts with my age!’ she scowled.

‘Who is Linda and why is your age a problem?’ he asked curiously.

Clara hugged one of the throw pillows from the chair she sat, tucking her legs below the fluffy blanket the doctor wrapped her in before bringing her downstairs.

‘She’s my stepmom. A pain is a better term to call her. As for my dad… he thinks I’m at the right age to get married… but I’m not ready.’

The doctor seated himself on the chair’s arm and prodded, ‘Why? In my century women wedded as early as thirteen.’

Clara looked up at him, her eyes suddenly sad.

‘I haven’t found anyone who wants to spend their life with me. My last boyfriend and I were together for three years and then he dumped me. I’ve been on my own five years now…’

The old man took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. 

‘And you never found anyone since…?’

She shook her head, staring into those blue eyes.

‘You’ve been through the same, just centuries longer than I have.’

He gave a sad smile and kissed the back of her palm.

‘It’s hard to find someone to love… I really thought my ex and I were going to settle down. Then he cheated on me with my best friend and then dumped me,’ she scoffed.

‘I’m convinced that I’m going to die an old woman with ten cats…’

‘That man did not know what gem he gave up and is a fool for what he did. Don’t feel bad about not having a future with him. Things happen for a reason and always for the better…’ he comforted, holding her hand against his chest.

Clara couldn’t help but smile. She’d only spent a week with the doctor counting the first day she met him in the manor. He was so caring, sweet, attentative and protective of her and undeniably handsome despite the age gap between them. To think she had issues trusting him a few days ago and not to mention how she felt almost empty when they had parted ways twenty-four hours ago. It was strange she thought, of how quickly he was beginning to worm his way into her heart and if she were being true to herself, she was quickly becoming attracted to him. The way she felt when he kissed her was proof enough.

However, a human-wolf union as he so put it, was forbidden… but what about now in modern times? Better not get too acquainted with her host. It wouldn’t be fair to give themselves hope and then suffer from broken hearts in the end. After all, he already went through the pain of losing a human lover… better not let history repeat itself. It was going to be tough ignoring her growing feelings towards him and she wondered for a second how he felt about her. Surely, she knew he was attracted to her from day one, but it would be nice to know.

‘So… is it okay if I do an article on your town? It’s for my job and I need it to cover up my excuse for needing extra time,’ she blurted.

‘Of course, but I advise not to leave the house. If you need material, I will have extra findings sent to you from the local library depending on what you want. However, I highly doubt that will be necessary, as my study covers everything from the first piece of wood that was laid on the land to the first outhouse and person to defecate in the town.’

Clara burst out laughing, followed by the doctor. Funny. He was very funny as well and looked so adorable with his cheeks tinted pink and corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. Her eyes roamed over his face and lingered on his lips a little too long. She quickly turned her head away and grabbed at the cups of tea he brought earlier.

‘Yummy,’ she cheeped, taking a long sip.

‘Glad you like it.’

She smiled sweetly and continued enjoying her drink.

‘Before I forget, I’ve gotten you a new wardrobe,’ he announced happily.

Clara eyed him inquisitively. 

‘I’ll show you.’

Without warning, he stood up and lifted the tiny woman out of her seat. She yelped in surprise but didn’t mind. After all, walking made her dizzy spells intensify and her body was still too weak and hurt too much for her to move on her own. She wrapped her arms carefully around the silver wolf’s neck and held on, as he climbed the stairs to his room. He rest her on the bed and pointed to the stack of boxes piled in the corner of the room.

‘For me?’ she asked in disbelief.

‘Yes. All of it. It includes pants, skirts, dresses and blouses along with shoes. There’s also lady underthings…’ he explained with a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

‘I had Rose choose them. She said women are fond of … lace.’

Clara chuckled at his boyish innocence and how uncomfortable he looked speaking of women’s underwear.

‘Thank you… for everything, doctor. I really appreciate it.’

He took a seat beside her and stared at his feet.

‘I’m really glad you’re okay, Clara. I just hope that your decision to extend your stay beyond when things are back to normal isn’t because you feel indebted to me and-’

Clara placed her index finger over his lips, preventing him from completing the sentence.

‘I decided to stay because yes, I am indebted to you, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not and because, everyone deserves to have a friend to save them from their loneliness.’

The werewolf’s gaze slowly crept up to meet Clara’s, her eyes shining brightly at him.

‘You’re an angel,’ he said softly.

‘Nope. Just a lucky lady to have befriended an awesome werewolf,’ she teased, playfully.


	13. Wolfsbane

Chapter 13

The week flew by as the doctor nursed Clara back to full health. The scars on her torso vanished without a trace and the bit of weight she lost was quickly regained. He felt a bit disappointed he was unable to walk into her room and use her condition as an excuse to sneak a glance at the young woman or hold her hand. This aside, there was no word of Amy’s disappearance amongst the townsfolk which made him uneasy. Yes it was only a week, but surely someone must have picked up on her absence by now. The waiting game was a test of patience, something he had a lot of.

‘This typewriter is killing meeeeee,’ complained Clara as she tore off the page and tossed it into the bin.

The doctor turned his attention to the beautiful brunette seated in his giant green arm chair, arguing with the ancient stationary tool.

‘In need of some assistance?’ he asked, standing behind her.

‘I can’t get the letters to print onto the paper and then when I try to scroll, it won’t let me,’ she whined.

He chuckled and leaned over her, his hands over hers guiding them through the motions of how to operate the machinery. Clara smiled to herself, the warmth from the doctor’s hands a welcoming feel.

‘Clara?’ called the doctor, trying to grab her attention as she drifted to another world.

‘Hmm?’

She snapped back to reality and saw he solved her problem.

‘Thank you!’ she exclaimed with a big smile.

The werewolf nodded and opened one of the books she had strewn over his study desk. A small black and white photograph slipped from between the pages and landed on Clara’s lap. She took it up and stared at a very young doctor and a very curly haired woman smiling at each other in old Victorian era dress. 

‘Her name was River,’ said the doctor, staring at the picture in the brunette’s hand.

‘This was taken the day I asked her to run away with me to America.’

Clara heard the sadness in his voice and saw it too as he took it from her hands and ran his finger over River’s image.

‘Do you still love her?’ she found herself asking.

‘I’ll always love her but there comes a time where we all have to move on.’

The grey wolf walked to the large window in the middle of the room and stared outside. His mind was far and looked as if he were reliving another life, as his eyes glistened in the bright afternoon light. Clara felt the need to comfort him and carefully walked up and wrapped her arms around his midsection, pressing her cheek into his back.

‘W-What are you doing?’ he asked, completely surprised by her action.

‘Hugging you.’

‘W-Why?’

‘Because everyone needs a hug when they are sad or having a bad day, doctor. Werewolves too.’

The doctor’s heart hammered in his chest but eventually mellowed down and he placed his hands over Clara’s as she continued to hold him.

Later in the afternoon Clara scoured around the manor’s surrounding gardens accompanied by her werewolf, picking wildflowers as a means of passing time and in hope of cheering up the old man. He was quiet after dredging up the painful memory and the tiny woman thought some fresh air would do the trick. After all, nature had its own combination of healing powers.

‘Bend, please,’ she ordered giving him a mischievous smile.

He did as requested and she placed a yellow floral crown atop his mass of silver curls. She giggled happily and led him to a small pond a few feet away, for him to have a glance at his reflection. The doctor smiled at the childish yet sweet gesture and fixed it properly onto his head.

‘You look very pretty,’ Clara teased, stuffing a small handful of pink blossoms into his jacket’s front pocket.

‘Where’s your crown?’ he asked, pointing at her head.

She shrugged and said, ‘Only royalty wears a crown.’

The doctor objected to her statement and made her sit on the grass bed.

‘I’m no royalty and not only royalty wears a crown. But you deserve more than that.’

‘Like what?’

The doctor did not answer but instead, she felt a tug on her head and realized he was braiding her hair. When he was done, he helped her up and smiled.

‘This suits you,’ he complimented as she peered at her reflection in the pond.

The old man had given her a bohemian side braid and intertwined the tiny pink blossoms she put in his pocket earlier, into the overlapping twists. 

‘You are really full of surprises, doctor. It’s still bothers me why you’re alone… because it’s not hard to fall in love with you.’

The doctor took in a sharp breath upon her words and said, ‘Life isn’t as simple as it seems.’

Clara felt the entire light mood she built, immediately dissipate. She blew it… just by speaking her mind. 

‘Sooo, are you naked when you turn into a wolf?’ she asked, quickly changing the subject.

The doctor knitted his brows at her.

‘Yes. Human clothes just fall off and to answer the next question before you ask, yes I am naked when I change back to my human self.’

‘Interesting. Just plain curiosity here… do werewolves do it in wolf form… or human form…?’

‘Clara!’ whined the doctor, his cheeks growing red.

‘What? I’m just curious!’ she defended.

‘Are you going to tell me? Or is it a wolfy secret?’

He raised an eye brow at her.

‘Wolfy?’

Clara smirked at him and figured he was not up for entertaining her with an answer to that question. Better luck next time, she thought.

‘Are you as fast a runner as a human as when you are a wolf?’ she questioned next.

Before he could answer, she snagged his pocket watch and ran off to the far side of the garden. Clara Oswald was really something. One moment she could be so serious and then the next, so playful. He shook his head and ran after her, easily catching up. For someone with short legs, she surely had speed. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back causing her to stumble, taking him with her. They both rolled down the gentle slope, coming to a halt, laying side by side.

The pair looked at each other and began laughing like idiots.

‘You have to admit, that was fun!’ she giggled.

‘Indeed, it was,’ agreed the werewolf, assuming a sitting position. 

He got up and helped the brunette to her feet. Her hair was a mess, flowers and grass strewn everywhere. She began undoing the braid when a small purple blossom fell out. She smiled and took it up.

‘I’ve never seen a blossom like this before,’ she thought out loud.

‘Do you know what’s the name of it?’

Clara did not wait for the doctor to answer her and placed the flower in his palm. An agonizing scream erupted from his lips and he fell to the floor.

‘Doctor!’ yelled Clara worriedly.

The hand she placed the flower in, was burnt badly and small lumps appeared on his skin and creep up his wrist. His face turned red and he broke into a sweat. The old man’s body shook violently and his pupils were blown.

‘Get…R-Rose…’ he sputtered, through clenched teeth.

‘I can’t leave you here! Tell me what to do!’

‘Get Rose!’ he growled, gripping her arm tightly as his canines elongated in front of her.

Clara gasped at the sight and nodded quickly.

‘What do I tell her? Do you need medicine?!’

The doctor arched his back, the lumps now midway from his elbow.

‘Tell her…. I’ve been po-poisoned w-with wolfsbane.’


	14. Disappearance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The doctor has been poisoned! Lets see what's happened!

Chapter 14

Clara paced the hallway outside the doctor’s bedroom, restlessly. When she informed Rose of the doctor’s demise, the blonde was immediately at his side and hauled him in without Clara’s help. She advised the human to take a shower as a precaution to wash off any remaining plant material from her body. Any contact with it could be fatal and make the situation a lot grimmer than it was. She had not allowed Clara in the room period, despite her pleading. 

The loud thrashing and screaming from the other side of the door worried her greatly and she felt terrible over the entire situation. This was all her fault. Rose emerged from the room three hours later, her white apron blood stained and her face exhausted.

‘Is he alright?’ Clara prodded immediately.

‘Can I see him?’

‘He’s fine. I managed to stop the poison from advancing in time and I’ve given him the antidote. He’s asleep. Best to let him rest,’ she said gruffly.

‘Thank God. But... can I see him?’

Rose shot an angry glare. The human woman gasped in surprise as the blonde fisted a handful of her blouse and slammed her into the adjacent wall. The blonde’s eyes were feral, wolf-like-even, with her pupils slit rather than rounded. They glowed with a burning rage; one she never thought the maid possessed.

‘Because of you, this has happened! You could have killed him, you twit!’ she roared, lifting the journalist off the floor.

Clara clutched at her wrist, eyes wide in shock and fear.

‘I-I didn’t know what it was! I swear!’

Rose scoffed and released her hold, letting the tiny human fall hard onto the marble floor.

‘He’s sacrificed enough for you, mortal! I will not see him hurt again or –’

‘ROSE!’ boomed an angry voice.

The women turned and saw the doctor in just his trousers, arm and chest covered in bloody bandages, his eyes also feral, mouth with elongated canines. The wolves exchanged eye contact and the woman growled at him and Clara before stomping off.

‘D-doctor?’ she called cautiously.

He stared icily at her, turned around and shut the door behind him. She knitted her eyes brows and carefully knocked.

‘Doctor?’

No answer.

‘Doctor? If you’re listening… I just want you to know that I’m sorry. I really am…’

No reply.

Clara sighed and was about to walk away when a loud crash broke the air. She did not wait to knock this time, and immediately rushed into the room. His bedroom smelt like antiseptic and the furniture were broken and overturned. The bandages he wore a few seconds ago, hung loosely on the balcony rail extending his room. She peered over and saw glowing blue eyes staring up at her.

‘Doctor! You need to rest!’

Upon her words, another wolf emerged beside him. This one was a lot smaller also baring blue eyes. Rose. It had to be. The doctor held his head up to the quarter- moon and released a long howl, followed by Rose before they darted off into the darkness.

\---------------------------------------------------------

It had been three days since the doctor and Rose both disappeared into the surrounding darkness of the manor. The house was quiet without them, and lonely. Clara disdainfully ate her tomato soup, left overs she found in the fridge; and stared at the grandfather clock. One o’ clock. After washing up, she headed upstairs and continued her work in the old man’s study. The tiny woman eventually pushed aside everything after half an hour, her attention preoccupied with the events from a few years ago. 

Where could they have gone? She understood Rose’s anger but if she didn’t know better, the she-wolf would have gutted her there had the doctor not intervened. Clearly, it sent the male werewolf in a rage but she wished he’d talk to her. The human was worried sick about him and not Rose, unregrettably. Werewolves healed quickly, so he was surely up to full health by now but why leave for so long? He hadn’t done that before.

The tiny woman wandered around the house, mind constantly wondering what the old man was up to. She loomed into the long corridor lined with the glass windows, flooded with butterflies and flowering plants. Clara smiled at the scene and closed her eyes, for the first time in weeks thinking of her family. Her friends. How were they? Did she do the right thing or was she impulsively acting on her growing feelings for a gorgeous werewolf? The answer was uncertain and sadness befell her the more she thought about her folks, home and entire situation.

A tear rolled down her cheek, a memory of her mom popping into her head. If she were alive, she’d have the perfect advice on how to deal with everything. 

‘What’s wrong, milady?’ 

Clara sniffled and refused to turn around.

‘Oh, you’re back? Glad to hear,’ she snapped, folding her arms.

His footsteps resounded in the narrow area, growing louder as he approached her. She felt his warm hand take her arm and slowly spun her to face him.

‘Look at me, Clara,’ he said softly.

The journalist took a few seconds before she finally did. The doctor looked at her with smiling eyes. His hair was fluffier than ever, the silver curls only mild waves. His eyes still that lovely shade of blue, no elongated canines and his wound seemed to have healed. 

‘I missed you.’

He took a lock of her hair and twirled it around his finger, examining the colour.

‘Your wound healed?’ she asked, bluntly.

He smiled and nodded. She pursed her lips and slowly created some distance between them, earning a frown from him.

‘You’re displeased about something. What’s wrong?’

Clara ignored him and walked towards a group of potted plants with butterflies fluttering above. She attempted to catch one, chasing it around the corner of the room. Eventually, the young woman gave up and let out a loud sigh, aware of the doctor’s eyes on her.

‘What happened that night? You just disappeared with Rose leaving me here by myself,’ she ranted.

‘I was worried something happened to you. The walls felt like they were closing in and … and I began to lose my mind!’

The doctor’s face grew grave at her last statement.

‘The wolfsbane is poisonous to wolves. If acted quickly, one can be saved, by opening the vein and draining out the poison. However, there are repercussions. It tends to involuntarily awaken the wolf…’ he explained.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about it earlier and I want you to know that what happened wasn’t your fault.’

‘Too late for that. Rose clearly thinks it is.’

‘Rose was just being protective. She’s always like that. I apologize for that…’

Clara nodded and snatched at the butterfly passing by, groaning at another failed attempt to capture the colourful bug.

‘I’m sorry for leaving you. It’s not easy staying locked in a manor day and night. It was inconsiderate of me…’

‘Thank you,’ was all she said.

‘You’re doing it wrong,’ he intervened, after her endless inability to capture the flutter-by.

He came up behind her, pressing his chest against her back and wrapped an arm around her waist, while the other took her hand and held it out, away from her.

‘The secret… is not for you to chase it, but to wait for it to come to you…’ he whispered into her ear.

Clara silently shuddered, feeling that tingling sensation once more crawl down her spine, her core beginning to grow warm. They stood like that for a few moments and surely enough, a small butterfly landed on her outstretched palm.

‘See? What did I tell you?’ he asked, gently.

The tiny woman smiled and watched as it flew away. The doctor did not let her go and she used the opportunity to turn around in his arms. 

She looked up at him and said,’ I missed you too, doctor.’

He grinned at her, tracing his thumb over her lower lip. Clara ruffled his mass of waves and chuckled. As she attempted to remove herself from his arms, he pulled her close; both her hands pressing to his chest. Slowly he lowered his face and softly pressed his mouth to hers.


	15. The Threat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long! 
> 
> I've been down with the sickness... get it? Down with the sickness? XD *insert band name*
> 
> Anywho... got a really bad cold and I'm just recovering while eating like a starved human being... now I feel fat and ugly T.T
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter... and the fluff to come because I'mma break your hearts at some point :D

Chapter 15

The doctor had meant to pull away, seconds after locking lips with Clara, but when she kissed back and wrapped her arms around his neck, his mind went completely blank. He held her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her tiny waist, enjoying for the first time in years, the warmth of another’s body pressed against his. He savoured the feel of her tiny frame, moulded into his, her soft breasts pushing onto his lower ribcage. The werewolf eventually pulled away panting, knowing if he kept it up, he’d have Clara naked in seconds, making love to her on the floor…a step he wasn’t sure she’d perhaps let happen or would be willing to take anytime soon, if ever. However, kissing was definitely a start. One he had no problem with at all.

‘I’m sorry,’ he apologized, raking a hand through his hair.

Clara chuckled, panting as well and said, ‘No… it’s fine. That was actually … nice.’

The doctor raised his eyebrows at her. That was not what he was expecting her to say, but he was going to go with the flow, here. Instead of saying anything, he granted her a shy smile, which she returned.

‘In the future, I’ll let you know if I’ll be gone for long periods so you won’t be worried.’

Clara opened her mouth to say something but the loud, enraged voice calling the doctor, stopped her dead in her tracks. 

‘Jack…’ whispered the old man, his eyes wary.

‘My lord! Jack is at the gate to see you!’ informed Rose, scrambling into the room seconds later.

She halted looking at the scene before her. The doctor’s hair messy, his arms wrapped lovingly around the human… Rose swallowed hard and dismissed what she saw and said, ‘He requests an audience.’

‘I’ll be right back. Stay here,’ he told Clara, kissing her hand.

He left the two women standing in the room, staring at each other. The maid eyed her carefully and turned on her heels and left. Clara’s curiosity was on edge, so she went to the front of the house and peeked out from behind one of the window drapes. She witnessed Jack and the doctor apparently in a heated conversation, both separated by the large black iron gate. It would be interesting to know what they were speaking about. Maybe it was about Amy? Hopefully the old man would enlighten her when he returned to the house.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The doctor was wary when he heard Jacks voice. It’d been a little more than a week and he surely had to notice his sister’s disappearance by now. His first thought was to keep Clara hidden, but Jack did not possess the strength to break through the wards, so she was safe.

‘Doctor, doctor, doctor…’ he growled as he neared the parallel iron bars.

‘Hello Jack,’ he greeted.

‘Save the pleasantries old man! Where’s Amy?!’ he hissed.

He didn’t know or was he playing a game?

‘How should I know?’

Jack narrowed his eyes at the alpha and grinned, evilly.

‘Don’t play coy. It’s no secret you’re hiding your little human in your manor. We all know… Amy even saw when you two drove off and hasn’t returned since. Very unlike her unless you two had a run in… So tell me doctor… Where is she?’

It was the doctor’s turn to narrow his eyes. As the ultimate power of the town and wolves, he needed to maintain composure while instilling his continued dominance, despite his physical frail-looking human form.

‘Dead,’ he announced, calmly.

‘I KNEW IT!!!’ he roared and hurled himself at the gate. He easily bounced off the invisible shield encasing the house. The lesser wolf hit the ground with a loud thud.

‘She deserved her outcome for disobeying me on more than one occasion. Let it be known… if anyone else disregards my orders, they will meet the same fate. I don’t care if I have to take down every one of you opposing wolves. I also do not mind living in peace and pardoning the first night of attack on the human if you keep in line with my orders,’ he snarled.

Jack gritted his teeth and pointed a finger at him.

‘You’re dead! You can’t hide that human in there forever! She’s my hunt and still is! WE will not settle for this. If you don’t give her up by the full moon, be prepared to watch your town and your faithful followers burn!’

With those heated words, he flipped off the pure-blooded canine and stalked off.

Oh boy. A retaliation and uprising from the town’s second most influential person. This was not good. If he got enough numbers to side with him, it would mean trouble. The ward around the house was impenetrable but there were other ways into the house or more importantly, out of the house. Once Clara stayed inside, she’d be fine. He would die keeping her safe, if it were the last thing he had to do.

The doctor slammed his front door shut and rubbed his forehead. Small hands cupped his face and he stared into Clara’s worried, brown eyes.

‘Is everything okay?’ she asked.

Clara. His sweet, Clara. He did not regret saving her that night and never would as he took her palm and kissed it.

‘It’s all good,’ he said with a smile.

‘Liar.’

He looked at her questioningly.

‘You look worried. Is this about me? And Amy? They know you killed her, don’t they…?’

‘It’s nothing to worry about,’ he lied.

‘Do me a favour doctor. Don’t lie to me. You’re bad at it,’ she scolded.

He hung his head, gently caressing her hand.

‘Yes. It’s about Amy and me killing her. Jack is her brother… so things just got ugly.’

The tiny woman clasped a hand over her mouth, realizing how incredibly personal the entire situation just became.

‘An eye for an eye, now?’ she asked slowly.

The doctor nodded and pulled the journalist to his chest. She wrapped his small arms around his slender waist and buried her head into his chest.

‘What do we do, Doctor?’

‘We?’ he asked with a chuckle.

Clara smiled against his sternum and repeated her words.

‘WE aren’t going to do anything, milady. I am going to keep you safe till my last breath. You need not fear anything. I won’t let anything happen to you,’ the old man reassured, stroking her cheek.

‘Do you promise?’

He frowned at her.

‘Why do I have to promise to you when I intend to stay to my word?’

She shrugged, ‘Because I want to hear you say it.’

‘Do I have to swear on something? Or do humans seal the promise? I’m not entirely familiar with that tradition,’ he confessed with a chuckle.

‘You just have to say it, like you mean it buuuuut… if you want to seal the promise, I don’t mind that either.’

He grinned, ‘I promise. So how do you wish to seal it?’

Clara placed both her hands on his chest and dreamily gazed into her favourite pair of blue eyes.

‘Let’s throw a party, tomorrow. For two. Rose can have the night off.’

The alpha wolf smirked, ‘A party for two? How is that possible?’

‘Well, I see you have a ballroom a couple rooms down… and I’ve never been to one of those fancy masquerade parties, I thought it’d be fun!’ she exclaimed.

‘Or is it too much to ask…?’

The doctor chuckled,’ Oh Clara, it’s not and I can’t even remember the last time I even attended one. If that’s what you want, then you’ll have it. Any other requests?’

She smiled at him mischievously and smoothed the lapels of his shirt.

‘Yes, actually. We both wear masquerade ball costumes and we’re the only ones invited.’

The old man howled with laughter and kissed the top of her head.

‘As you wish, milady.’


	16. A step forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little fluff and a tad more... enjoy! ;)

Chapter 16

The doctor checked himself in the mirror one last time. Everything had to be perfect tonight for Clara. He had given Rose the night off, despite her endless protests and sent her off to his private lake house a few miles out of town. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on Clara’s bedroom door and waited. The soft click followed by the low groan of the old wood, added to his growing nervousness as the door slowly opened and he felt his heart skip a beat at the sight before him. 

The human smiled shyly at the alpha, wearing a red off shoulder ballgown complimented with a golden mask and her hair done in a french-twist, a few strands loosely curled to frame her face. 

‘You look beautiful,’ he said breathlessly.

‘Thank you. So, do you,’ she giggled.

The doctor had opted for his traditional era wear, a Victorian styled white shirt with a patterned blue vest and black coat with a complimentary black trousers and shoes. He offered her the crook of his arm, which she took and they both descended the stairs. He led her down the main hall and into the ballroom, which he tastefully decorated with red roses and substituted the electric lights with lit candles on antique holders.

Clara gasped in wonder at the scene and smiled brightly at her surroundings.

‘You know, I was only teasing about sealing the promise… I didn’t think you’d go all out on this,’ she admitted.

‘A promise is a promise and a deal is a deal. Besides, I really don’t mind the change,’ he replied.

‘It looks wonderful! Thank you,’ she squealed.

He smirked and walked over to the far edge. A loud crackling sound filled the large, open space followed by the opening notes to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The tiny woman looked at the old record player in amusement. It must have been as ancient as the doctor, she thought. Slowly, the atmosphere took on a dreamy state and she found herself swaying to the music. 

‘May I have this dance?’ asked a masked doctor, his hand outstretched to her.

She nodded and took it without hesitation. He held her close, both keeping eye contact as they moved to the romantic tune. The silvered wolf was a really good dancer and Clara secretly thanked her dad for forcing her to take those ballroom dance classes years ago. They certainly came in handy now! 

Clara twirled and burst into a fit of giggles.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘This. Everything… I don’t know. It feels so… unreal,’ she explained.

‘How so?’

She stopped and looked up at the tall figure towering over her.

‘I feel like I’m living a bit of beauty and the beast, right now. Not that you’re a beast!’ she blurted.

‘I understand what you mean,’ he replied with a toothy grin.

The journalist let out a high-pitched scream, as the first crack of thunder erupted across the sky. She was so caught up with the town owner, that she did not notice the changing weather outside. The sky was a peachy-purple hue, shrouded in clouds and the gruesome flashes of fork lightning illuminated the night. Clara clapped her hands over her ears as the thunder rumbled again. How she hated the loud outrageous cries of mother nature. She felt warm arms envelope her, protectively. 

‘Scared of a little thunder?’ the old man teased.

‘Not funny,’ she pouted and jumped as another ripped directly overhead.

He burst out laughing and tightened his hold, feeling her tiny body tremble with every passing strike. The werewolf took her by the hand and led her to the fireplace, which was conveniently lit with a fluffy rug laid out in front and an accompanying bottle of champagne with two complimentary wine glasses.

‘This is nice,’ she sighed, sipping her drink.

‘Indeed,’ he said, removing his mask.

They sat and drank in silence for a long while, enjoying the warmth from the fire and each other’s company.

‘You certainly like that mask. You have not removed it at all,’ he teased.

‘If you want to look at my pretty face doctor, you can just say instead of using the mask as an excuse,’ she taunted.

He smirked and set his glass down. Gently, he lifted it from the young woman’s face and smiled.

‘Better?’ she chortled.

The old man shook his head and leant forward. Clara thought he was going to kiss her but to her disappointment, he removed the pin that held her updo together and felt her hair tumble over her shoulders.

‘Much better, now,’ he complimented with a cheeky grin.

They both looked at each other and laughed. The thunder raged again and Clara lurched, spilling her drink onto her dress’s bodice and cleavage. She swore under her breath and searched for a napkin to dry herself. In vain, she grabbed the hem of her skirt to do the job. 

The doctor batted her hand away and in a sultry voice said, ‘Allow me.’

‘No, it’s fi-’

The tiny woman shuddered when he bent forward and licked the tiny beads of liquid off the swell of her breast, the flick of his tongue on her cool skin, shooting a barrel of excitement up her spine. He looked up at her smugly, eyes hungry and filled with desire.

‘Did I get it all?’ he asked, licking his lips, deviously.

Clara felt a pool of moisture between her thighs, thinking of him repeating his action.

‘I think so… but it’s always good to check,’ she said softly, quickly taking a sip from her half full glass.

In the compromising situation, she accidentally took too big a gulp, causing some of the beverage to overflow from her red stained lips, down the corner of her mouth. The couple connected stares the second it happened and in a flash, the doctor had licked the droplet off her face and crushed their mouths together in a ravenous kiss. He eagerly parted her lips and dipped into her mouth, relishing in the faint taste of the champagne she just drank. 

Clara raked her hands through his hair and pulled him atop her as she lay back on the soft rug. Her hands wandered down his back and up his chest, slowly undoing the buttons of his vest. He broke the kiss and shrugged it off, tossing it aside. Next, he helped her undo the buttons to his shirt, but Clara’s patience wore thin and she dragged him back down to lock their lips once more.

A moan escaped her mouth as the doctor trailed kisses down her neck and slowly sucked on the skin exposed by the low cut bodice of her dress. The young woman arched her back, quickly unzipping the back and shrugged the gown partway, exposing her naked top half. She gasped aloud as the old man’s lips connected with her hardened nipples, suckling on both as she dug her nails into his scalp. She gripped a fistful of his hair and dragged him back up to kiss him again, while his hands parted her legs and wandered under the length of fabric, to grip onto her hips.

They both moaned when he pressed his crotch against hers, her dress miraculously now pooled at her hips, revealing her white lace knickers. The doctor sat up and marvelled at the scene below him. Clara’s flushed face, skin afire and her secrets slowly unveiled. He hooked his fingers onto the waistband of her white undergarment and slowly slid them off. She spread her thighs wide, inviting him and he smirked, lowering his lips to her sex and slowly lapped and sucked on her until she was writhing under his touch. 

‘Doctor!’ she cried in ecstasy as she climaxed, panting heavily.

The doctor grabbed his vest and wiped his mouth, the tent in his trousers aching for release. 

The journalist sat up and grabbed at his belt, to which he stopped.

‘No. We can’t.’

She frowned, deep creases rippling her forehead.

‘Why not?’

‘I don’t have… protection or a tonic to give to you to prevent a pregnancy…’

Good point, she thought. Clara looked at the massive erection straining under his zipper. Without second thoughts, she flipped him onto his back and unfastened his belt and trousers, pulling it down along with his funny underpants. The doctor protested, but a swift peck on his lips silenced him momentarily.

‘Shhhhh. We’re in this together. Just relax,’ she soothed.

With her small hand, she pumped his shaft, once, twice, three times and positioned it between her large, round breasts. With a skilled hand, she squeezed and slid her large globes up and down his member, slowly picking up pace, until he began thrusting onto her chest. His movement began to grow erratic and she took him fully into her mouth, sucking him mercilessly until a low guttural cry escaped his lips and the taste of his seed flooded her. The old man pulled out and grabbed onto Clara, as she laid kisses on his pelvic bone. Thunder continued to rumble outdoors, but the tiny woman was now too preoccupied to be concerned with mother nature, when her body was savouring the doctor’s touch.


	17. A Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The morning after... can hold a great many possibilities...

Chapter 17

The next morning, Rose opened the front door to the manor and was greeted by a smiling doctor. She blushed when he held the door open as she walked in.

‘You’re in a good mood, sir,’ she commented, returning a bright smile.

‘You have no idea,’ came his reply.

Her happiness was short lived, as he helped her out of her coat and caught a whiff of him. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at her greying town owner. 

‘Rose? Are you alright?’ 

The blonde took a step towards the old man and bent forward, taking a deep breath. There was no denying the human’s lingering smell on the doctor’s clothes. She swallowed hard and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him down to her height and smelt his neck, the bit of chest exposed from his casually unbuttoned shirt. She shoved him hard and looked at him in horror, as the next smell hit her nose. 

‘You mated the human?!’ she hissed in disbelief.

The doctor’s face was a mixture of surprise and anger.

‘Watch your tongue, Rose.’

‘It’s forbidden to mate with another species, my lord!’

He furrowed his brows and flared his nostrils.

‘It is not your place to tell me what to do, girl.’

Rose shook her head and paced the floor a few feet in front of him.

‘When you asked me to help you play host to this woman, I took it as a joke…thinking in days she’d be gone. Eaten or whatever you wish to happen. I admired that you felt compassion for her situation but getting involved my lord… I cannot allow it. Our coven, does not allow it!’ she argued.

‘I left my coven years ago, ruled by my parents. Who I choose to love, or get involved with is none of our species’ concern!’ he said through gritted teeth.

‘Why a human, my lord?’

No answer.

Rose walked up to him, placing her hands on his chest and stared into his eyes.

‘I’ve given you my life, my lord. All these years we’ve been together and you have never looked at me the way you have looked at that woman you met weeks ago. Am I not attractive to you?’ 

The doctor frowned at the change in her tone and the question. 

‘Oh Rose, you are beyond beautiful but… where is this coming from?’

‘I’ve loved you from the moment you took me in and sheltered me. I can’t bear seeing you with someone else… especially a human. I-I can’t allow it…’ she confessed, keeping eye contact.

‘I love you, doctor.’

The werewolf’s face grew grave as he studied the maid. Rose had been with him for decades, devoted her life to him as her form of gratitude and repayment of debt for saving her life. Never had there been a day he figured she’d been in love with him, until as mentioned now. His mind drifted far, sifting through memories for any hints he may have overlooked. He was so distracted, he did not register Rose going onto her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his lips. The second their mouths connected, he snapped out of his daze and stepped back, gently pushing her away.

The she-wolf looked at him wide-eyed, clutching the blood amulet, that allowed her access through the house’s wards around her neck. 

‘I’m sorry I did not know these were your feelings after all these years…’ he began, choosing his words carefully.

‘I do love you but…’

Rose’s breath hitched and her eyes glowed with hope.

‘Not in the way you would like me to… I love you as a friend, even like my own kin and

She put her hand up, stopping him before he could say more.

‘I see how it is, my lord. You will never have feelings for me like that ever, will you?’

A straight question.

He pursed his lips, ‘No.’

‘I suggest you re-think what you are doing, my lord. You will still be alive when she dies and blows away like smoke. What will be the outcome if you continue down this path?

Others will hunt you… when they smell your scent on her they will surely kill her and any abomination she may carry in her womb.’

‘That’s enough!’ he shouted, causing her to jump.

Never in her lifetime with the doctor, had he ever raised his voice at her.

‘My choices, my life, my rules. If you are against it, then you are free to leave this manor and have a life of your own. Or, you can pass a blind eye and continue your services if you wish. Either way, you are no longer indebted to me and Clara stays here, unharmed and well taken care of, whether you like it or not. The choice is yours.’

The young blonde’s blood boiled at his words. 

‘You’re willing to throw away years of friendship for a mere human?!’ she roared.

‘No. You are, Rose! We all can live together in this. Whether Clara decides to stay here or not, is her choice. I will not force her to remain like a sheep amongst wolves! Since she came into my life, I’ve felt so alive and even if it kills me from heartache in the end when or if she leaves, I will allow it because she has her mortal life to live. At least I will be at peace, knowing I had a second chance to love again whether she feels the same for me or not.’

‘But I’m offering you my love. MINE, doctor! Why can’t you accept it? It’d last centuries more!’ she pleaded.

‘Because I do not love you, Rose,’ he said, calmly.

‘My offer remains. Stay and pretend Clara is not a human while doing your daily tasks… or leave and carry on with a new life, if you cannot bear to see me with someone else. If you truly love me, let me go. I will always remain your friend and help you in times of need, and I wish I could return your feelings… but my heart belongs to someone else. I am sorry.’

His words sliced through the young woman slowly and painfully. She closed her eyes and broke into sobs as the doctor attempted to hold her.

‘Don’t touch me!’ she screamed and ran out of the room.

Clara watched as the short woman raced past her, tears streaming down her eyes. She noted the doctor’s grim face, blankly staring at the wall.

‘Doctor…?’ she called.

He turned and immediately broke into a smile.

‘Is everything alright? Rose looked pretty upset…’

He took her hand and placed it over his beating heart, staring into her brown eyes. They looked worried, searching, contemplative. 

‘We just had a spat. She’s a smart lady. I’m sure she will come around, soon,’ was his answer.

Clara trusted his words and smiled sweetly at him before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. Rose peeked from around the corridor, at the couple wrapped in each other’s arms. At how lovingly the doctor held her… kissed her. Their scents flooded her nose and she thought she was going to be sick. Betrayal filled her heart the longer she stared, rage slowly building up. If she could not have the doctor… then neither would Clara.


	18. A murderous attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how Rose is taking the rejection...

Chapter 18

‘Rose?’ called Clara, as she spotted the small blonde in the kitchen, brewing the doctor’s daily afternoon tea.

She immediately stiffened. The last thing she needed was to see or speak to anyone, especially Clara. As the human drew near, she gulped hard, the smell of the doctor clung strongly to her.

‘What?’ she snapped, utterly done with pleasantries.

‘You looked upset earlier… are you alright?’

She glared at the brunette and scoffed.

‘What is it to you?’

‘I was just concerned and wanted to know if you’re okay or wanted to talk about it. You know, girl talk,’ Clara suggested with a smile.

The maid cracked her knuckles, ‘I’m fine. Can you hand me the jar of sugar in the cupboard over there?’ 

As the journalist turned, Rose bared her teeth and slowly inched forward, gripping the small carving knife hidden in her apron. She studied her small frame and that long, exposed neck, thinking of how the doctor must have ran his lips over the milky skin over and over. Her temper flared and she quickly drew the weapon aiming for the woman’s back. Clara turned around, holding the sugar jar; only a few seconds to get out of the way. With sheer luck, she leapt to the right in the nick of time, yelping as the blade sliced her shoulder.  
Rose stared at the mortal, fuming with bloodlust and launched at her again. 

Clara dodged and grabbed a frying pan that sat idly on the kitchen counter, using it as a shield and managed to knock the blade out of her hand. The maid screamed and dove at her, toppling them onto the hard floor. She was strong… so, so strong as she wrapped her hands around Clara’s neck and squeezed.

‘Doc…tor!’ the grey wolf’s love interest, choked.

‘Doc…t-t…or!’

Everything began to grow dark, her breath growing short until there was a sudden release of pressure and she took in long, deep drawls of air.

‘Rose! Stop!’ screamed the doctor.

Clara looked up and witnessed her saviour restraining Rose, both arms pinned behind her back with one hand while the other roughly fisted her hair.

‘She deserves to die! She destroyed us!!’ she screamed, thrashing in his hold.

‘Shut up!’ he roared, hurling her across the room.

A loud bang resounded on her impact with the wooden floor. Instantly, she shot up and growled at him, canines elongating, claws protruding, her human skin fully shed. She stepped out of her maid’s attire in full wolf form. The doctor snarled and braced as she attacked. As small as the blonde had been, she was brave and fierce but not a fighter and no match for him. After thirty seconds, he took on his wolf half and bit her several times. He purposefully avoided lethally wounding her, despite the upperhand he had, only administering injuries to her legs and belly. The alpha growled and bit down onto the scruff of her neck causing her to scream in pain. The lesser blood whimpered and lowered her ears, tail tucked between her legs and immediately resumed her human form.

The doctor did the same, both persons fully nude in front of Clara. He grabbed Rose’s clothes and tossed it at her.

‘I have known you for so long, I will spare you your life once more. However, you are hereby banished from this house and its surroundings. If I see you anywhere close, and so much as even look this way, I will make an example of you, are we clear?!’ he hissed, eyes cold as ice.

‘W-Where will I stay?’ she sobbed.

‘I don’t care. Anyone who attempts to hurt Clara will only find death, so count your lucky stars. Now get out!’ he shouted.

Rose scrambled to her feet and had no time to get dressed as the doctor shoved on his trousers and tossed her through the formidable black iron gates. 

‘You’ll pay for this, doctor! You and your human! Your reign is near an end!’ she screamed at him, as he made his way back to the front door.

Clara was still lying on the floor, in a foetal position, shaking like a leaf when he returned. 

‘Milady, are you alright?’ he asked, scooping her up and setting her down onto the granite counter top. 

He cupped her face and studied every inch of her skin for any signs of injury. He snarled when he noticed the bruised skin around her neck and the shallow cut on her shoulder.

‘I’m so sorry, Clara…’ he apologized, face filled with guilt.

‘It’s not your fault. You didn’t know this would have happened,’ she answered, hoarsely.

‘I promised to protect you…’

‘Which you did, darling,’ she replied with a weak smile.

‘I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be back before midnight. Get some rest,’ he informed laying her on his bed, after tending to her injuries.

‘Thank you.’

He smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before returning to his grey wolf self and leapt off his bedroom balcony.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Rose banged furiously on the worn wooden door, until it clicked open from the opposite side.

‘Rose Tyler…’ began Jack, a hint of amusement and curiosity sparking his eyes, ‘What’s the doctor’s little hound doing all the way from home?’ 

‘I need your help,’ she demanded by way of greeting.

He arched an eyebrow and reclined in his chair.

‘And why would you need my help?’ he drawled, his expression suddenly shielded.

‘We both want the same thing.’

‘And that is?’

She slammed her palm onto his desk, ‘I want the doctor and his human dead!’

He burst into a fit of laughter, propping his feet on the wooden table.

‘Things gone sour or you finally seeing things our way?’ he huffed.

‘It doesn’t matter. Will you help me or not?’

He smirked and folded his arms, face contemplative.

‘How do I know, this is not a set-up?’

‘You’ll have to trust me…’ she stated, ‘Full moon is in three days and I am sure you have not one plan on how to get past the doctor’s wards. He barely leaves the house and when he does you never know when or how.’

‘So?’

‘So, I happen to have access to his entire manor… right… here,’ she grinned and produced the blood amulet she always wore from her skirt pocket.


	19. Caught!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drama and such.
> 
> I apologize in particular for any excessive typos, repetitions or grammatical/spelling errors. I had to rush this chapter down and I really wanted to post it tonight because I won't be posting tomorrow.
> 
> I know it's taken an obvious turn but... well you judge from here.
> 
> D4rkSkyes, I'll make it up to you soon! I promise!

Chapter 19

The doctor was aware Rose carried the blood amulet and after her attempt to kill Clara earlier, he forgot to retrieve it before kicking her out. In his canine form, he stalked through the empty streets, sticking to the shadows as he followed the blonde’s vague scent. He stopped a few feet from Jack’s shop. He felt disappointed things turned out the way it did currently, between them. While Rose’s company for decades was an ease to his loneliness, it never filled the void in his heart. It hurt deeply, now that their friendship was over and he felt sad for her, that he was unable to return her feelings.

He crouched under a bushy hedge and listened to the conversation from his position. It really helped having refined hearing. Much easier to listen from afar than to snoop and risk getting caught. From the voices he heard, it was clear Rose and Jack were indulging in a vivid conversation.

‘How do you use it?’ asked Jack.

‘You don’t. I do. You will just come along with myself and I’ll let you in,’ stated Rose, flatly.

A laugh resounded.

‘Don’t trust me either, do you Rose Tyler?’

‘Nobody trusts conniving bastards like you, but you do come in handy. The doctor knows me well but so do I and I am certain he is listening to us right now and … just fell into our little trip.’

The doctor piqued his ears, and realized she was right. He looked up and saw the two fellow wolves grinning evilly at him through Jack’s office window from the distance. A silver bullet penetrated his leg after a lingering second and another clipped his ear. The alpha held back a roar of pain and scrambled to his feet. Two of Jacks minions, Donna and another flanked him, Donna blowing faebane into his face, the other shooting four poison darts at him. 

The doctor collapsed on the spot, his legs haven grown heavy under his weight. Donna bound his feet and blew a further handful of faebane into his face. He felt his strength and power fade as the powder numbed his magic, rendering him helpless. The silver bullet created a world of pain and burnt within his flesh with every twist and turn as he was thrown over a shoulder and hauled away.

The werewolf awoke in human form. Thankfully they had the decency to cloth his lower half. He was bound to a pillar, both arms stretched above his head, his knees aching from the hard, cold concrete he knelt on. His leg was numb, blood oozing through the fabric of his trousers. His body, especially his back and head ached, the silver slowly poisoning his organs and slowed his self-healing to a near stop. He closed his eyes and tried to summon his power, in attempt to spirit walk and warn Clara.

Nothing. He could not muster an ounce of his ability, the power in his veins, dead. He began to panic, worry overtaking him as he thought of his beloved human. The old man howled as icy water blasted his skin.

‘Wakey, wakey doctor…’ sang Jack, holding an empty pail.

‘Never in my life did I think you would be on your knees before me, doctor. Bravo!’ he mocked.

He went on gloating and revealing that he and Rose had teamed up the day she suspected his romantic involvement with Clara and gave him details on where Amy’s body had possibly been burned. The maid’s entire intention was to have the brunette surrendered to Jack and hunted for sport, while the doctor went on with life as usual. Unfortunately, it did not happen as such and she thought confessing her undying feelings for him would waver his decision to keep Clara around. Boy, was she wrong and now, here he was, captured and tied up like an animal ready for slaughter.

‘Where’s Clara?’ he growled.

Jack smirked and snapped his fingers. Two of his men opened the doors to the room and Rose entered, dragging his terrified journalist, bound and gagged.

‘Doctor!’ was her muffled cry.

Rose let her go and she ran towards him, cupping his face with her tied hands. She stared into those blue irises, with teary eyes, worry and fright written in them.

‘Are you alright?’ he whispered, his breath hot on her face.

She gave a shallow nod and rest her forehead against his.

‘That’s enough!’ hissed Rose and pulled the brunette by the hair, dragging her away from the injured alpha.

‘Don’t hurt her! Your squabble is with me, Rose. I know you’re upset!’ he shouted.

Jack grinned wickedly.

‘I never liked you doctor. In my old town, I was leader until those humans like her, raged and pillaged us with their wolfbane wards and silver stakes and bullets,’ he explained.

‘I resent you even more for taking away my prized hunt and murdering my sister!’

The doctor did not answer, his eyes fixed only on Clara. His Clara. Jack followed his gaze.

‘As yes. Your little lover. I have plans for her…’

A glint of anger flashed over his face.

‘So that’s what gets a reaction from you,’ he chuckled.

‘Don’t you dare touch her.’

Jack smirked and walked over to the little woman, hauling her to her feet. He removed the gag and roughly shoved his tongue into her mouth. She fought him off, shoving him hard and punched him across the face with double fists. 

‘Feisty…’ he purred and slammed his knee into her stomach, causing her to immediately coil over and vomit onto the floor.

He glanced at the grey wolf who had the look of a cold-blooded killer and added another to her middle section.

‘I’ll have fun tearing the flesh from her bones later,’ he howled with amusement.

Jack produced a silver dagger from a small wooden box and looked to Clara.

‘You’re going to do the honours, dear.’

Rose grabbed her by the arm and hauled her to her feet, placing the dagger in her hands. 

‘You’re going to make the first cut,’ he instructed, tugging her towards the doctor.

She looked at him in horror and dropped the knife. The werewolf gripped her hair and put the weapon back into her hands.

‘Do it, or I will have his arm removed, bitch!’

He nodded to one of his helpers, who grabbed the old man’s right arm and held a large knife to it.

Clara hesitated, shaking her head, ‘I can’t! I won’t do it!’

The helper sliced slowly into his soft flesh, as he gritted his teeth, fighting back the urge to scream.

‘Stop! Stop! Please!’ she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

‘Cut. Him.’

She walked up to him with shaking hands and aimed the knife above his left breast. 

‘Forgive me…’

Jack took her hands and pressed it into his skin, slicing a long line across his chest. The doctor screamed, his skin sizzling as the blade cut through.

‘Good girl. I should have mentioned there’s trace amounts of wolfbane on the blade, enough for torture and eventual death after a long period,’ he chuckled and chucked her aside, retrieving the piece of silver.

Small boils began to grow and spread across his thorax, radiating from the incision. The worse it got, the louder the doctor’s scream. Clara felt helpless, her body trembling from the agonizing cries, filling the room. To make matters worse, Jack, Rose and Donna each took turns beating him with a horsewhip, scarring his back, chest and face. 

‘Please, stop…’ begged the brunette on her knees.

Her pleading was ignored. Jack smiled wickedly and grabbed the dagger, scanning the battered wolfman’s body for the final blow. He positioned himself to attack but stopped short and spun around as the doors to the room burst open. In seconds, at least ten men all decked in black spilled in. Jack’s helpers wasted no time initiating an attack to the possible threat. As the screams and cries of the wolves in battle filled the small space, Clara dodged as best as she could and crawled towards her immortal.

‘Doctor! Doctor!’ she called, shaking him. 

He slowly opened his bloodied eyes and weakly smiled at her.

‘My Clara…’

It took the human a crack of a minute to notice the sudden silence in the room and looked around noticing all of the wolves holding them hostage earlier were dead, except for Jack. Donna lay motionless on her stomach, eyes open wide and Rose… her head was ripped off her body. An old man with white hair and a beard held a knife to the perpetrator’s throat as a tall, lanky but elegant woman dressed in a flowing crimson gown stood at the centre of the room, with the men in black scanning for survivors.

She walked towards them and Clara immediately shielded the doctor with her body.

‘Don’t come any closer!’ she warned.

The woman chuckled, ‘I just saved your life human. You should be thanking me.’

An invisible force shoved her aside and she witnessed the woman stoop before the old man and turn his gaze to hers.

‘Doctor Johnathan Smith, will you ever learn?’ she asked, unamused.

Clara could have sworn the doctor stiffened and his already swollen eyes, opened wide in shock or horror; as he stared into the face of this beautiful, mysterious woman and said, ‘Mother…?’


	20. I love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some angst and a bit of fluff... D4rkSkyes, I'm not done yet :P

Chapter 20

The doctor or rather, Doctor Johnathan Smith slowly opened his eyes. He squinted from the bright morning light, streaming through his large bedroom window and slowly sat up. Running a hand across his chest and face, he sighed in relief that the wounds were gone, no scars to be felt except for the long slash that spanned over his sternum. Instantly, the werewolf climbed out of bed and clamoured toward his mirror. The silver dagger dusted with wolfbane had marked his skin. A mark that would never leave him.

Immediately, Clara came to mind and he ran out of the room, decked only in a pair of plaid trousers and darted down the hall into her room. It was empty; bed unmade, sheets strewn over the floor. Concern overtook him and he descended the wooden stairs in a hurry, shouting her name. The greying fellow emerged in the meeting room and stopped dead in his tracks.

‘What are you doing here?’ he snarled.

‘Good morning to you too, darling,’ greeted the mysterious woman from the night before.

Claws replaced fingernails as he glared at the female, seated in his favourite armchair drinking tea.

‘Oh, come now. Is that how you greet your mother after a century and who saved your life?’

He said nothing and continued to stare at her, rage boiling his blood over. 

‘You look well. Come. Sit with me.’

No response.

The woman sighed and set her steaming cup down. She stood up and strolled toward her son, stopping a few feet before him. Her eyes scanned his body, lingering on the pink scar across his chest before lowering her gaze to his stomach.

‘I’m glad the scars have healed well. I wish I had arrived sooner to prevent the scarring. Wolfbane and silver are a lethal combination. You’re lucky to be alive, especially after that whipping,’ she said.

He took a deep breath and growled, ‘Where is Clara?’

A chuckle escaped her lips.

‘Your human is fine. I did not harm her.’

‘Not what I asked!’

‘She’s safe…’

He lunged forward, but invisible hands stopped him midway, freezing him to his spot.

‘I do not wish to fight, John. I only want to talk. I assure you she is safe.’

‘WHERE IS CLARA?!’ he shouted, canines elongated, eyes glowing.

Five men in black suits from the night before, stormed into the room and flanked the woman on either side. Her face was a mask of calm, her eyes boring into his soul.

‘She’s at your private lake house. I have two men guarding her as we speak.’

The doctor huffed and inhaled deeply as she released her hold. He immediately transformed to his wolf self and dashed out of the house, without so much as a second glance.  
The journey to the lake house felt like hours, as he raced through the forest, ignoring his screaming muscles. He had no idea how long he was asleep but judging from how he felt, it’d been no more than two days. The little house came into view from the distance and he rushed towards it, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. Two men again dressed in black suits stood guard on either side of the door. The silver wolf resumed his human appearance and strolled towards them, stark naked.

They looked at him with raised eyebrows, and bowed their heads to him. An act of respect to higher blood.

‘Leave,’ he hissed.

‘We have strict orders from her lady to remain here, until-’

The doctor had no time to listen to the rest of his words and slammed his fist into the man’s face. He fell onto the floor, spitting out blood and two front teeth. He looked at the other, an icy stare mediated to him. 

‘MY mother is not the boss here. I am. Take your friend and do not return or I will kill you both.’

Without a second to spare, the man grabbed his friend and excused themselves, vanishing in the surrounding forest. The doctor cracked his neck and opened the door, his heart in his throat. The house was quiet. His eyes searched the space for any traces of his beautiful brunette. No sign of her, but his nose caught that wonderful smell, her unique scent. He followed it to the upstairs bedroom, where she sat in the corner, staring blankly into space.

‘Clara?’

Her eyes shot to him, instantly welling up. The small woman dove at her doctor, a broad smile on her face, tears spilling down her cheeks. The old man caught her, sweeping her into a spinning hug. She immediately broke into sobs. He set her down gently and cupped her face.

‘I thought they killed you,’ she cried, holding his wrists.

‘Likewise, my love. Did they harm you?’ he asked, scanning her over for injuries.

She shook her head and only then noticed the scar on his chest and that he was completely naked.

‘I did this…’ she choked.

He took her hand and kissed it.

‘It’s not your fault, Clara,’ he reassured with a small grin and hugged her tight.

‘Ummm… do you need me to fetch you a pair of pants?’ she giggled, ‘Not that I mind the view.’

His cheeks burnt and he quickly dismissed himself. Moments later he re-emerged in the room in a pair of pink underpants with red hearts. Clara laughed herself hoarse at the scene, the doctor scowling the entire time. 

‘It was the only pair of pants I could find,’ he defended, as she lay back on the bed, holding her stomach and chuckling uncontrollably.

It was good to hear her laugh, smile compared to the terror she showed before. He looked at her having a whale of a time, making fun at him and smiled. He lowered himself onto the mattress and groaned as his back made a strange cracking sound, his shoulders and neck tight.

‘Are you alright?’ she asked, watching him wince in pain.

‘Nothing I’m not used to. My muscles need a stretch… they’re really tense.’

Clara sat up on her knees and ordered, ‘Roll over.’

He obliged without question and lay on his stomach as the tiny human began massaging his shoulders, neck, arms, back. Her hands were a miracle worker, the tension releasing the more she rubbed his lean frame, so carefully. By the time she was done, her wrists, shoulders and arms were sore but her grey wolf felt a lot better.

‘A bit sore?’ he asked, taking her hand into his.

‘A little, but it’s okay.’

She sat at the edge of the bed, and he exchanged the favour. Clara smiled as his fingers worked its way down her back and up, under her shirt. Next, she felt her bra unhook and his warm hands cupped her breasts beneath, gently massaging them. The mortal bit her lip, leaned against him and looked up at his handsome face. She laid a hand on his cheek as he kept massaging and pulled him into a kiss. A moan escaped her mouth as he pinched her hardened tips.

The journalist turned around and straddled him, kissing him proper as they tousled tongues. The doctor lay back onto the bed, taking Clara with him and flipped them over. He sat up and stroked her face. Whatever the reason his mother was here for, he was not going to let history repeat itself. He loved Clara and was certain she harboured feelings for him as well. No matter the outcome, he was not going to let the Lady Smith take her away from him and God forbid he was unable to protect her, he would willingly die alongside her. 

Despite his thoughts of living the rest of his life with a broken heart, the way he felt for his lovely human was much deeper than words could express and he did not think he could live without her. If she decided to leave after a while with him to return to her normal life, he’d leave the town, appointing someone else to take charge and spend the rest of their lives together.

‘What are you thinking?’ asked Clara, breaking his thoughts.

‘I love you.’

She smiled and ruffled his hair, ‘Don’t you think we should know each other longer than that to exchange those words? I’ve only known you about a month.’

‘I’ve lived decades and I’ve never been like this with anyone. Never felt like this with anyone after River,’ he explained.

‘I love you so much, Clara… from the first moment I saw you.’

Her breath hitched at the confession, lips slightly parted.

‘I feel something for you too, doctor. Love? I can’t say, but it grows bigger every day and I hope as time goes by, I get to see what it turns out to be…’ she said with a shy smile.

The werewolf smiled, pressing a kiss to her neck, ‘Can I keep you?’

'Yes.'

She again raked a hand through that glorious head of hair and demanded,'Kiss me.'


	21. A wolf and his human

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So today I got accepted for a job I really wanted and am starting on Monday. I'm gonna try to write the rest of the story and finish it over the weekend. That way, I can just copy and paste onto the website for your viewing pleasure.  
> Speaking of pleasure... here's some happiness before I throw them into a world of pain again... D4rkSkyes, I dedicate this chapter to you!!!

Chapter 21

Clara ran her hands over the planes of the doctor’s back as he kissed her softly. The past few days were rough without him, after Jack’s stunt. She was worried sick. The strange woman had him hauled away and stated she would not harm her. The human was taken to his lake house a few miles from the manor, food and drink brought to her daily, while under guarded house-arrest.

She had never felt so scared in her life. The sight of the doctor being tortured ripped a hole in her chest. The scar that remained across his chest, was her doing. It was a relief he was okay and to add to the matter, he confessed his love to her. 

Did she love him back? Her feelings certainly grew wild after he saved her that night from Amy. Most of the day he filled her thoughts, yearning for his affection which he gave wholly and freely. A man who lived for years and years in sorrow, finally found happiness upon meeting her. Life outside of the manor or Gallifrey meant little to her for now. She eventually had to return to her normal life. Maybe she could ask him to come with her, for her own selfish reasons?

‘Doctor…?’ she asked, breaking the series of long kisses.

‘Hmm?’

She bit her lower lip and gazed into those blue eyes.

‘Will you come with me… and start a new life?’

He sat up and frowned.

‘Leave the town?’

‘I know its selfish and I need to resume my normal life soon… but I’d miss you too much…’

Silence.

The doctor studied her carefully. His throat bobbed and she thought he was going to turn her down but to her delight, he grinned broadly, ‘Yes. Yes, I would love that.’

‘Really?’ she asked almost in disbelief,’ What happens to the town?’

‘I’ll appoint someone as a mayor or something. Leave this rut behind,’ he said, eyes shining brightly.

‘I’d give up my immortality if I had to, just to be with you, Clara.’

The young woman felt her eyes sting at his words and pecked him on the cheek. He smiled and interlaced their fingers together, laying her arms on either side of her head as they resumed kissing. Her steady breathing turned into soft pants as the silvered male pulled her shirt and bra over her head and mapped her chest with his lips.  
He took his time removing her trousers and knickers, but she stopped him as he angled himself to bury his face between her thighs. A deep frown creased his face, as she got up and strode to the nearest closet. His eyebrows rose in surprise when she tossed a box of condoms at him and winked. 

‘Found them yesterday. Thought they’d come in handy.’

Clara stood in front of him naked, mere inches from his grasp. Slowly, he raked his eyes over every inch of her body, taking in her perfect breasts, flat tummy and the dark mound at the junction between her legs. A low growl escaped his lips the longer he stared and Clara took her time walking back to the bed and laying on her back. Deviously, she parted her thighs, emphasizing her want for him as she took a finger and rubbed her nub. She moaned loudly and arched her back, head digging into the pillows, the more she applied friction.

The doctor instantly ripped off his underpants and was atop her in seconds, roughly claiming her mouth with his. He hastily tore open a condom and covered his member, before gripping her thighs and entering slowly. Bit by bit, he pulsed deep into her, at an unhurried pace. Clara deliberately clenched her walls against his thick cock, earning a soft grunt against her neck.

‘Harder!’ she coaxed, wrapping her legs around his slim waist. 

He pulled out almost completely and slammed into her with his full length, making her legs tremble with the force and pleasure he sent coursing through her veins. Their bodies grew slick with sweat, the doctor’s continuous pumping growing faster. The young woman screamed the wolf’s name repeatedly, as her orgasm took over and the old man kept thrusting into her as she rode her waves of ecstasy.

Clara felt another orgasm begin to build with the doctor’s continuous momentum and again cried out as she peaked. His fingernails turned to claws and dug into the soft bedding, as his pelvis slammed into his human’s, mercilessly. A burning sensation along his back drove him even harder, as his mortal dug her nails into his soft flesh. The small fit of pain sent him wild with the growing need for release. One. Two. Three… his canines elongated, the ripping of fabric resounding in the small room and then he stopped. A thundering roar broke from his lips, causing the entire house to shake, as he came.

He pulled out and lay on his back beside Clara, who was unable to finish her third orgasm. The alpha was very aware of this and pulled her atop him, bringing her moist folds to his lips. With the work of his tongue, licking and prodding her sensitive engorged sex, it wasn’t long till she shattered completely, vigorously grinding her secret against his mouth. With shaky legs, the human rolled onto her side, completely satisfied.

‘So, werewolves are really good lovers,’ she commented, trying to catch her breath.

The doctor did not answer. Instead, he removed the used condom and slid on another. Clara eyed his newly shielded member and grinned, naughtily.

‘We’re quite insatiable when deprived of sex for far too long,’ he said with a smirk.

She grinned wickedly and allowed him to flip her onto her stomach. He took his member and dipped it into her entrance, and traced his way up to her clit, circling it tantalizingly slow with his covered head. Clara gripped the sheets, stifling a moan as the welts of pleasure began to grow. Doctor Smith gripped her hips and entered roughly making them both cry out with the sudden contact.

Clara had no idea how many times they made love that night, except that they used the entire box of condoms. Her legs felt so weak, her throat and lungs raw and her body was coated with hers and the doctor’s sweat. She gazed at her wolf, fast asleep beside her. He looked so peaceful and she couldn’t resist stroking his fluffy head. He mumbled something and rolled onto his back, the sheets and part of the mattress he lay, shredded beyond repair. She chuckled to herself and nestled her head onto his chest, playing with the tuft of greying hair in the middle.

‘Good night, daft old man,’ she chuckled, stealing a kiss from his lips and fell asleep snuggled against him.


	22. Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! Hey everyone! I am so so soooooooo sorry for being absent for so long! I started my new job on Monday and lemme tell you, it takes me 1.5 hours to get there via train and bus, so I am up at 4 and then get home at 7. It is crazy!  
> I got the weekend and Memorial Day off, so I am hoping to finish the story soon, which is currently coming to an end. Thank you for putting up with me *big hug*
> 
> Let's see what follows the romantic night the doctor and Clara had... sometimes being an alpha doesn't mean you're invincible!

Chapter 22

The doctor closed his eyes and sighed as Clara worked the moisturizer into his wet hair. His posture was relaxed as he slumped into his chair, enjoying the feel of Clara’s short fingers against his scalp. They spent the night before with their bodies entwined, revelling in the passion that seeped through their pores as the hours ticked by. Clara had woken up later that morning, the wonderful sensation of the doctor’s warm, naked body pressed against her back and the undeniable hint of an erection. As she attempted to slip out from under the covers, he snatched her wrist, earning a yelp of surprise and pulled her tiny frame atop him.

The werewolf whirled her into the sweetest of kisses and cupped her face, lovingly stroking her cheek with his left thumb. Clara smiled, and kissed his nose, before dropping her full weight atop him and hugged him tight. He chuckled and rolled them over, pinning her under his lean self and sucked at her earlobe. She giggled uncontrollably which instantly turned into long, needy moans while he licked the length of her neck, across her breast and down to her lips. Her alpha scooped her up, headed towards the shower and both took a long, cold shower together.

‘You’ve got the hands of a miracle worker. Did I ever tell you that?’ he mumbled, sleepily. 

Clara chuckled in reply and finished up, before taking a seat in his lap. Instinctively, the doctor wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. She rested her head at the junction of his neck and shoulder and breathed him in. 

‘I love you, Clara,’ he whispered into her ear.

The human smiled and looked into those blue eyes. 

‘And… I think I’m falling in love with you… doctor…’ she said shyly, cheeks staining pink.

For the first time in a long time, the doctor was at a loss for words. Last night she said she was uncertain about how she felt about him and now… He felt his eyes sting, his throat felt sore.

‘Doctor? What’s wrong?’ she asked concerned.

He answered by giving her a bone crushing hug and felt a tear slip down his cheek. Clara fought against his hold and looked at him. 

‘Why are you crying, doctor?’

He smiled at her, eyes and face sparkling bright. His mortal love frowned and wiped away the channel of liquid.

‘I just feel happy. Exceptionally happy,’ he beamed and kissed her long and hard.

The old man’s joy worked up his appetite for other events and he quickly shed his and Clara’s bath robes and they made love against the bedroom wall.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The couple strolled into the manor later that day, hand in hand. Luckily, they were able to find a decent pair of trousers and a shirt to cover the doctor, upon his arrival. The smile they both wore instantly faded as they locked their gaze on the Lady Smith, lazing on the living room couch. John stepped in front of the journalist, assuming a protective stance. The elegant woman smirked at them with cunning eyes and smoothed her red skirts.

‘I see you’ve been busy, Johnathan,’ she commented.

‘Why are you still here?’ he barked, glaring at her. 

A dark chuckle filled the room, ‘We need to talk. Alone,’ she stated jutting her chin towards Clara.

‘Clara stays with me. Whatever business we conduct, will be said in her presence, else I am not willing to listen.’

She scoffed and stood up, her skirts flowing behind her as she strode towards the pair. With a snap of her fingers, by some invisible force, Clara was suspended a few inches off the ground and dragged to the strange woman. The doctor growled and felt himself frozen in place. Of course, his mother would use her power against him. While his ability involved spirit-walking, brute strength, compulsion and super-fast healing, hers entailed telekinesis and complete mind control, a far more dangerous arsenal that could be a deal breaker if one got on her bad side.

The female wolf walked in a circle around the human, examining her closely.

‘She’s beautiful, I’ll give her that.’

‘Don’t you dare harm her!’

‘I’m not going to harm her, John. You have my word. Besides, I wanted to give you both some private time for yourselves,’ she drawled, picking her nails, ‘which I smell very strongly on the two of you.’

‘Get to the point, mother.’

The woman grinned and explained how John’s father had passed away two weeks ago and the coven required the next male of the deceased’s bloodline to fill the position. She elaborated that she tried to avoid all possibilities of tossing John back into the world he so resented and to make matters worse, history was repeating itself with Clara. The alpha’s mother admitted to having spies keep a careful watch on him over the years, never intruding his privacy or getting into his way to arouse suspicion. It was eminent that she wanted to make peace with her son after all this time and was the reason she had not harmed Clara, but still noted that it was taboo.

‘I can’t let you repeat your mistake twice, John. I know you love her… you always had a fascination with the humans. But, it is forbidden. I will pretend this never happened. The coven needs you, but in doing so, you need to let the human go.’

‘No.’

‘You have no choice in the matter. It is mandatory you fill the position.’

‘I don’t want it!’

‘I am not leaving without you. Refusal will lead to your death. You escaped it once when you killed your father’s men, but it was I who begged him not to send more to finish you off! The role of head in the coven was predestined the day you were born.’

‘I don’t care. I’m not going back there and I’ve cut ties with you and everyone. Let them hunt me down! I’ll kill them all! Nothing is going to stop me from starting a life with Clara.’  
His mother gritted her teeth in annoyance.

‘You will make her a target. If I must use force, I will. Agree and nothing bad will come of this.’

‘No.’

‘You leave me no choice then ...’

She grabbed Clara by the collar of her shirt. The mortal shuddered and looked at the woman wide-eyed in fear as she stared into her steel grey eyes.

‘You said you won’t hurt her!’ yelled John, straining against the magic that bound him.

‘I’m sticking to my word, dear.’

Clara’s eyes darted to John to his mother and then to John again. A stinging sensation filled her head, quickly evolving into a painful throbbing. She felt dizzy, nauseous and she could faintly hear the doctor calling her name in the background, before sudden exhaustion slipped over her and she closed her eyes, welcoming the darkness.

‘CLARA!!!!!!’ screamed the doctor.

He growled and fought the restrain until he broke the invisible force to his mother’s surprise; and rushed towards her. He took her in his arms and scanned her over, calling her name, repeatedly. The old man drew in a shaky breath and checked her pulse. She was still alive. Her face a tad pale, skin cold.

‘WHAT DID YOU DO?!’

His mother stood with a solemn look on her face, arms folded.

‘I had no choice. It’s the only way to keep you two safe. I did not want to do it but, it’s for the best…’

He was about to ask what she meant, when Clara began stirring in his arms.

‘Clara?’ he called, gently moving a lock of hair strewn across her face.

The human opened her eyes and looked at the wolf blankly. She blinked a couple of times and looked around at her surroundings and then back at the man holding her. Immediately, she scrambled out of his hold and backed away.

‘W-Who are you? Where am I?!’ she blurted, eyes alert in worry and terror.

‘It’s me. The doctor,’ he choked, extending a hand to her.

‘I’m your friend…’

‘Doctor? Doctor who?’, she asked frantically.

‘I don’t know where I am. Where am I?’

The doctor’s face was a look of horror and hurt. He took a step towards his beloved, who immediately took a few steps back.

‘Clara…’

‘Don’t come any closer!’ she warned, bracing her back against the living room wall.

He shot around and snarled at his mother, ‘Give her back her memories!’

‘I can’t do that.’

‘Then I will!’ he hissed.

‘You know it doesn’t work that way. The one who removes the memories, is the one who has the power to return them, if they like.’

‘DO IT!’ he shouted and lurched towards her, all claws and teeth.

The scene Clara witnessed between mother and son was brutal. The doctor and his mother battled neck on neck, both evading and falling prey to magical and physical attacks, until their energy was depleted. Both panted heavily, sweat caking their skin as they stared icily at one another, bruises riddling their skin. Clara attempted to escape and was immediately willed to sleep by the doctor with his remaining magic.

‘I’m begging you, mother… return her memories…’

She frowned, ‘I’m sorry.’

Her son looked at her helplessly.

‘Please… I can’t live without her. I don’t want to be lonely anymore and I don’t want a loveless marriage like you and father had.’

A bitter laugh filled the air and she looked down at her feet.

‘I suppose I see your point there, son. But, the coven has pressured me into this and I cannot say no. Please understand that I tried…’

‘The coven still outnumbers us and are more powerful than us combined. They’ll kill you, if you return empty handed and hunt me down till they end me, won’t they?’

A curt nod. John had hated both his parents for years after what they did to River. He did not trust either but something told him, his mother was being honest and despite the blood feud between them for so long, he realized that he did not entirely hold all his disgust and rage towards her. She could have killed Clara, yet she removed her memories instead, because if she remembered the doctor, her life would be in danger especially if she sought him out or ran into the wrong species.

‘She won’t remember anything about the town or me, will she?’

‘No. I’ve removed everything. And no, you cannot give up your immortality. It’s impossible to change into a human, so stop thinking about it.’

‘If she won’t remember me… then take my memories of her as well…’ he said, throat bobbing.

‘But, you won’t remember all the times you two shared,’ she argued.

‘I don’t want to feel the pain when I see something that reminds me of her.’

The elegant woman glowered at him and felt pity for her child. Her eyes followed him, as he took Clara in his arms, lay her on the couch and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He wiped away the tear that dripped onto her cheek and rest his forehead against hers.

‘I love you, Clara. I always will,’ he whispered.

The old man walked towards his kin and knelt before her, eyes red and face wet.

‘Do it.’

‘I am very sorry, my son. I wish there was another way…’

The doctor did not answer but merely closed his eyes and felt that small stinging evading his mind and his memories cast into a net and buried deep in the unknown.


	23. The missing link

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger ;)
> 
> I won't be posting till next weekend because I got work all week. So for the while, posts will only be during the weekend, Saturday and/or Sunday depending on how busy I am.
> 
> Thank you for tall the comments and suggestions. I appreciate it!
> 
> Let's see what happened after the unfortunate memory wipe...

Chapter 23

Clara climbed out of bed, her head pounding and the nausea rising from her stomach. She bent over the toilet and lurched, emptying her already hollow stomach. With a shaky hand, she flushed the bowl and rinsed her mouth before taking a strong dose of painkillers. A quick glance in the mirror revealed her ghost of a face. Pale skin, sunken cheeks, dark circles under her eyes. If she didn’t know better, she’d assume she hadn’t slept for a week.

‘Clara?’ called an all too familiar voice.

Her back grew rigid, her eyes alert.

‘Dad?’ she asked, questioningly.

‘Can I come in, sweetheart?’

Reluctantly, the young woman opened the door a tad, and peeked through the small opening. Her father stood a few inches away, decked in his pyjamas and holding a bottle of milk.

‘What are you doing here?’ she asked sternly.

‘I heard you throwing up from all the way in the kitchen. Thought I’d check on you,’ he said.

She frowned and noticed the green walled corridor behind him and the framed photographs of her mother mounted on its surface. She was at home.

‘Dad… where am I?’ 

Now it was Mr Oswald’s turn to frown.

‘You’re back home. In Huntsville.’

‘What?! How is that possible? I am supposed to be in Kildeer, doing a report on the town!’ she screeched.

‘Calm down dear. I know it’s been a lot for you in the past month, but the doctor said you’ll be fine,’ her father reassured.

‘Doctor? What doctor? You’re not making any sense dad!’

Her father sighed and set Clara down on the lip of the tub and explained everything. He told her that a month ago she was headed to the Interior Plains for Kildeer but got lost and found lodging in a random, small mountainside cabin village, he did not recall her naming. It was imperative that she was intrigued by the town and decided to stay, researching its history and so forth as she had informed him via phone. However, a week ago, she was found a couple miles from the interstate, her car smashed into a tree, with her body slumped over the steering wheel by a passer-by.

‘So… I was in the hospital for a week…?’

‘Yeah. They transferred you to Huntsville Medical and discharged you yesterday. I brought you home, to keep an eye on you and make sure you were okay. I was so worried when they called and gave me the news.’

‘Does Wilfred know? Did I have any paperwork from my journey to give him?!’

‘He’s aware of your accident and said to tell you, take as much time you need to recover and get back to him when you’re ready. And no, I don’t recall seeing or retrieving anything other than your wallet from the hospital. I’m sorry, dear.’

Clara racked her brain, trying to remember the series of events. She could not recall any of it happening and the more she forced herself to remember, the more her head pounded.

‘I-I need some fresh air,’ she stammered.

Mr. Oswald helped her up and walked her to the adjacent bedroom’s window. She inhaled deeply, trying to make sense of everything. A month ago, she was on her way to Kildeer. She did not recall even getting there, except that her GPS had failed and she had blindly driven the rest of the way hoping to find some hint of civilization. The memories after that were foggy. Something was missing, but what? Without further avail, she slipped on a pair of jeans and a t shirt and headed for the front door, grabbing Linda’s car keys along the way.

‘Where are you going?!’ he yelled after her.

She did not reply and quickly jumped into the vehicle and drove off.

\------------------------------------------------------------------  
‘Clara!’ exclaimed Wilfred, her very accommodating and cheerful boss.

‘Didn’t expect to see you so soon. How are you feeling?’

Clara dropped herself into the visitor’s chair and said,’ I need your help.’

Wilfred took a seat and interlaced his fingers, ‘Shoot!’

‘A month ago, I was assigned to visit Kildeer and all I remember is everything up till my GPS malfunctioning the same day and driving blindly along the road,’ she babbled.

‘I can’t remember finding any hint of civilization or even ending up in a car crash! Everything in between is just blank!’

Wilfred held up a hand and attempted to calm the brunette down.

‘It’s only been a week since your return to Huntsville, Clara and you’ve been pretty banged up with that accident. Maybe you need to relax and the memories will get back to you.’

She nibbled her fingernails nervously, and gazed around his small, cramped office.

‘Did I hand in a report or had a report when I was found?’

Wilfred furrowed his brows at the question and rocked back in his chair.

‘They found nothing. Perhaps your work was in the crash and they forgot to retrieve it?’

Clara groaned and tugged at her hair.

‘This is weird. So, so weird…’ she mumbled to herself.

‘Clara. You don’t look good. Why don’t you get home, take the next couple weeks off and relax. Then we can have a go at this conversation again, deal?’

‘You don’t understand! It makes no sense, Wilfred! I feel like something was taken from me! Something important is missing and I don’t know why or what it could be!’ she screamed in frustration.

‘Clara!’ called a voice behind her.

‘Mr. Oswald. Nice to see you,’ greeted a slightly shaken Wilfred.

‘Apologies for Clara’s behaviour. She’s a bit out of it and only got out of bed an hour ago.’

Wilfred gave a sympathetic nod and patted his employee on the shoulder.

‘Take the month off. I’ll still pay you for it.’

As she was about to open her mouth, her father grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the office and into the awaiting car, with a very annoyed Linda, who instantly snatched her keys from her grasp.

‘Only an hour you’re up and you’ve already started making trouble,’ commented her stepmother.

‘Piss off,’ she barked and slammed the passenger’s door to her other parent’s vehicle.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The drive home was a quiet one. Clara stared blankly out her window, continuously trying to find the missing events that lead to her current situation. Kildeer. Trip. GPS malfunction. Lost.

Those were the keywords she worked with, followed by hospital and home. Did she bump her head so hard that she lost her memory for those events? Or perhaps they were so traumatic, she found a way to lock them out of her mind completely? It was a logical possibility but, there was a nagging feeling in her unconsciousness that told her something wasn’t right and that it was very important. What was it? 

Mr Oswald helped his daughter into the house as they pulled in, Linda scoffing at the scene as she tossed her car keys into the small tray at the front door. He set her down onto the couch and brought her a glass of juice, which she sipped slowly.

‘It’s going to be alright, dear. I’ll take care of you and things will get better,’ he soothed, stroking her hair.

‘Thanks dad,’ she mumbled and turned on the telly.

The two-family members sat there for a while, watching random nature documentaries on the BBC. Clara yawned and tucked her knees into her chest and stared at the random animals popping on the screen, until one, made her bolt upright. It was a large grey wolf hunting in its pack. The beast’s howl sent a shiver down her spine and its eyes were a lovely shade of yellow. For a split second, an image flickered in her mind.

She attempted to access it once more, but her head began throbbing again and she winced with the pain. The journalist kept staring at the wild dogs on the screen and unconsciously, tears began rolling down her cheeks.

‘Clara, what’s wrong?’ asked her dad, concern in his voice.

She looked at him with her tear stained face, ‘Do wolves have blue eyes?’


	24. London

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyy... yeah I didn't forget you guys. My job has me exhausted and I'm planing to move again, so things are crazy!
> 
> From here on, I'm going to make one or two time jumps, to get to the meat of the matter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter and I promise, I'll make it up to you guys... *goes back into hiding*

Chapter 24

Two months later

Clara gazed from the balcony of her new apartment, in downtown London. It was a small thing, but cozy and cheap. Just what she needed to escape her life back home. Everything felt so different, so empty after she woke up in her family house. That constant feeling of loss, persisted. She had visited the doctor who tended to her injuries, prodding on any details he may have remembered when she was rolled into the E.R. but came up empty handed. Her second plan of retracing her steps to Kildeer, also lead to a dead end. She did find the town but no-one seemed to know anything.

Every now and then a random image flickered in her mind, of strange things. The first time, it was of a grey, blue-eyed wolf. The second, a large manor with black iron gates. The other times were glimpses of a fireplace, a long corridor with glass windows filled with potted plants and butterflies and the back of a tall male with fluffy silver hair, in a crisp, white shirt. She jotted the memories into her diary whenever they came and tried to make sense of them. 

Eventually, she found herself obsessing over the situation and her father suggested she visit a shrink. However, she never made it to her first session, her now constant morning sickness growing worse. No remedy she tried worked and a visit to the doctor’s office led to the shock of her life. She was pregnant and had no clue as to who the father was. Bizarre thoughts invaded her mind. Was she raped? Did she have a one night stand? Nothing clicked. There was no way she was going to stay in her father’s house with Linda chewing her head off about being reckless and getting knocked up.

The following week, she quit her job and left home. Her first week in London was tough but she eventually landed a job as a waitress at a small American themed diner and found a cheap apartment. It was not the grandest of places, but it was better than nothing. Being away from everything helped keep her mind off things, but it did not solve it. None of it. Her mind felt scrambled, a constant yearning enveloping her. Some nights she would wake up screaming from dreadfully dark dreams, of being hunted and eaten by wolves. Other nights she would wake up crying for no reason.

She thought of having an abortion, but the fees were ridiculously high and it was illegal throughout the country. Sad to say, she was stuck with her unborn child and needed to start preparing for its arrival, and soon! Clara rubbed at her mild bump of a stomach. In a couple of months, it would be highly noticeable and difficult to hide. With a heavy heart, the brunette sighed and tossed on her uniform and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Bags under her eyes, sunken cheeks and pale skin. Yep, she looked like hell. No time to think of that, she needed to get to work.

The former journalist barged into the small building and set her purse in the assigned lockers for staff. Quickly, she threw on an apron and started the coffee-maker, while rearranging the chairs in the sitting area and flipped the sign. Officially open for business. Not long after, customers began filtering in, many ordering the diner’s famous custard pudding and crème pie. Midway through one of her orders, a wave of nausea hit the young woman causing her to stumble. She gripped the corner of a table, trying hard not to topple the tray carrying a customer’s order. Luckily, she made it and served the individual with ease, before swiftly retreating to the restroom.

She held her stomach which was now contracting violently, and lurched into the toilet bowl. 

‘Clara?’ called Jenny, one of her co-workers.

‘In here,’ she called weakly.

The fellow waitress carefully pushed open the door to the stall and met an exhausted Clara, kneeling over the bowl. 

‘Another episode, dear?’

Clara nodded and vomited again, tears streaming down her face. Jenny bent over and rubbed her back.

‘You need to see a doctor about this. It’s not right, the way you keep throwing up like this.’

‘I-I’ll be fine,’ she choked and thanked Jenny before asking to be alone.

A warm wetness flooded between her thighs and she frowned, curiously. A closer inspection, showed her knickers soaked in blood. Her entire body began to shake, the feeling of panic rising through her. Instantly, she pulled them back up and examined the back of her uniform. Fortunately, it hadn’t been stained. Without a thought, she told her manager she had an emergency and dashed out the diner.

Miss Oswald took the first taxi she got and asked to be taken to the nearest hospital. An accident a few miles down prevented her from ever getting there, so the driver recommended a well-known local physician in the area and dropped her off at his office instead. Clutching her belly, she burst through the doors and demanded to see the doctor at once. After giving the receptionist all the required information, she was taken to an empty room and sought to by a young nurse. 

‘The doctor will be with you shortly ma’am,’ was all she said after taking her vitals and noting her complaint.

Clara bit back a groan, the pain in her abdomen growing worse as the minutes ticked by. She lay back on the small bed, she currently sat and prayed the doctor arrived soon. After what felt like forever, a soft click of the door caught her attention and a tall man with silver curls and the bluest of eyes walked in, dressed in a crisp white shirt, black trousers and white lab coat. For a second she forgot about her pain and gawked at him. He had to be in his fifties but that did not hinder how undeniably handsome he was. She took in his lean physique, long fingers, the fluffy hair. Her memory of a tall male with the silver fluff came to mind and she frowned.

‘Miss Oswald?’ asked the man, looking directly at her with furrowed eyebrows.

Clara met his gaze and for a second she swore there was a spark of recognition in those eyes. Did he know her? Did she know him? Something at the back of her mind, sensed an air of familiarity yet, she could not recall anything for all she tried.

‘Y-Yes?’ she answered, clutching her belly.

‘I’m Doctor John Smith. Nice to meet you,’ he greeted with a charming, boyish smile.

Clara felt her heart skip a beat. His accent was Scottish and the way her named rolled off his tongue made her think the most indecent of thoughts. Woah there, Clara. You need medical attention. There’s no time to fantasize of all the sexual pleasures the gorgeous doctor in front of you, may be capable of.

‘So, I’m going to have to check you out, based on the information I have here. I’ll also like you to repeat everything you said to the nurse for me,’ he instructed, pulling out his stethoscope and placing it on her back.

Clara told him everything that happened, from the time she found out she was pregnant to the events of the morning. He nodded and studied her carefully, before asking her to lie down and called in the nurse from before. His check was thorough and a mix of discomfort and mild embarrassment. Well, showing a guy your vagina on the first day you met in this was certainly a first, she thought. The doctor pulled off his gloves and nodded to the nurse, who left the two alone.

‘What’s wrong?’ Clara asked, worriedly.

‘I’ve got some very bad news for you Miss Oswald…’

She held her breath and waited.

‘You’re having a miscarriage.’

The words rung in the young woman’s ears. Despite considering an abortion, his words cut deep. Yes, she would no longer be pregnant, but somewhere along the line, her maternal senses kicked in and grief befell her. The waitress felt her eyes well up and she took a shaky breath.

‘I’m very sorry for your loss, Clara.’

That did it. The tears began to pour and the brunette broke into sobs. She felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder and she looked up to see the doctor looking at her sympathetically. He pursed his lips and handed her a prescription for painkillers and other drugs she would need to help her through the process.

‘Is there someone I can call, to pick you up or is waiting for you outside?’ he asked, softly.

She shook her head furiously.

‘There’s no-one waiting for me. I’m here alone and when I get home, there’s no-one waiting for me there, either,’ she sniffled.

John took a seat beside her and interlaced his fingers before offering her his condolences once again.

‘Is there perhaps something I can do for you, then? Maybe call a cab and have them take you home?’

‘No. No thank, you. I’ll be fine. Thank you for everything doctor.’

He nodded and got up. As he headed for the door, she stopped him and slowly stood up.

‘There is something I would like to ask of you, if it’s not too much trouble,’ she croaked.

He raised his brows at her. Something about this woman had him intrigued and he had no idea why. All he knew, was he had the urge to tend to her every need and she made every cell in his body want to combust, the more he looked at her. Spoke to her. He couldn’t let history repeat itself. Not after River… but this Clara Oswald… she was irresistible and her smell was intoxicating. The moment he walked into the room and laid eyes on her, he felt his heart flutter and butterflies fill his stomach. She was beyond beautiful, even if she was a human.

As the aide to the leader of the werewolf coven, there was no way they would allow a human-werewolf union. He escaped death once, could he do it again? Why was he even considering it? He stared into those sad brown eyes and felt himself melt. She was going to be his fall from grace and he heard his mother’s voice resound in his head. Despite the many beautiful female wolves, he was always intrigued by the humans and here he was, once again, in the same situation.

‘Anything,’ he replied, a small smile on his face.

‘C-Can I perhaps… have a hug?’

He nodded and walked towards her, his tall frame towering over hers. The older man opened his arms and gently wrapped his lovely patient in his warm embrace. Clara clung to him and broke into another episode of sobs. Mr. Smith rocked them from side to side and stroked her hair, as she let her pain out. When she finally stopped and found her middle ground, she thanked him endlessly and left. 

The doctor peered out his office window, watching the little lady climb into a taxi she flagged down and a strong sense of possessiveness overtook him as the vehicle drove off. He gritted his teeth, trying hard not to chase after the car and get her back. It was strange. He never had such a strong urge to have something or someone before, in his life. Not even when he met River. The silver haired wolf took a deep breath and read the information on her file. Clara Oswald. Clara, Clara, Clara. Something about her was so familiar. Had they met before? Nah. He would definitely remember meeting her, if they had. Whether she liked it or not, he was going to see her again. After all, everyone popped into a diner for a snack, didn’t they?


	25. Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys had a good week! I managed to grab as much time as I could to get this chapter done!  
> Let's see what faith as in store for these two idiots!

Chapter 25

Clara stared at the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time. One hour to go, till the shop closed. It was nine thirty and no customers were in sight. The coffee was already cold and the last stack of chips stared sadly at her from the metal tray they lay. She sighed and rubbed her belly. The news of her miscarriage was a shocker and despite her urgency to rid of her unborn babe, her heart exploded at the thought of never holding it at the end of her pregnancy. Maternal instinct was a hell of a thing. The pills Dr. Smith had prescribed eased the pain girdling her tummy and her morning sickness went almost instantly.

Dr. Smith… he was certainly a good looking old chap, she thought. However, despite how much she swore she never met him before, every part of her body screamed otherwise. It was just strange. So, so strange. Maybe she was just tired and lonely after the events that followed through a few months ago. She couldn’t recall the last time she had anyone attracted to her, far less a touch of intimacy. The brunette seated herself on one of the stools at the serving counter and poured herself a cup of lemonade. She cringed at the overpowering sweetness and instantly spat it out. She’d have to tell Jenny to be more considerate of people’s health when making the drink. The last thing the diner needed, was to give people diabetes!

The sound of the door opening grabbed her attention and she instantly looked up. To her surprise, it was the good doctor himself, clad in the same crisp white shirt she’d met him in and black trousers, with a blue jacket thrown over.

‘Evenin’, milady’ he greeted with a smile.

Something about the way he greeted her, put a smile on her face.

‘Good evening to you too, doctor,’ she said, still smiling.

He seated himself on the opposite end of the counter and propped his elbows on the shiny surface.

‘What brings you, here?’ she asked as a conversation starter.

‘Can’t a man get hungry and want a bite?’

She chuckled and nodded.

‘What’ll you have?’

‘I’ll let the beautiful lady before me, select something. I’m sure you know the best dishes unlike me,’ he said with a cheeky grin.

Clara felt herself blush a bit and disappeared into the kitchen. A couple minutes later, she emerged with a plate of piping hot chips and a slab of fish along with a large cup of tea.  
‘It’s not the best dish, but it’s all that’s left for the day… sorry.’

‘It’s fine,’ was all he replied and dove into the food.

Clara leaned against the wall and looked at him as he devoured the meal, hungrily. When he was done with his plate, she took it up and refilled it. He happily cleaned it all and chugged down the tea.

‘Someone was hungry!’ she teased, chucking the dirty utensils to the side.

‘You have no idea. Haven’t had a meal all day. You are certainly a life saver, Miss Oswald.’

A small part of her felt pleased at that statement and she couldn’t help but grin brightly.

‘When does your shift end?’ 

She sighed and told him, before glancing at the clock and scowled.

‘I’ll give you a ride home.’

Clara frowned at him and declined his offer. She didn’t know him very well and taking a ride from strangers may not be the best idea, doctor or not. However, the universe had a way of making things happen and soon enough, that undeniable sound of thunder ripped across the sky, earning a shriek from the little lady. 

The doctor burst out laughing and said to her, ‘Scared of a little thunder?’

The way he said it, she swore she knew someone who told her the exact same words before. Her heart pounded in her chest and she stared at the werewolf. Crisp white shirt. Silver hair. The memory flashes. It couldn’t be him, could it? If it was, why didn’t he say something? Unless… he didn’t know or remember either? That’s a silly prospect. The rain began to pelt down even more and now there was only one thing left to do.

‘Is that offer still open…?’ she asked carefully.

He grinned at her and nodded in approval.

‘Give me ten minutes. I’m closing the shop early today. Stay put!’ she ordered and busied herself washing the tall tower of dishes. 

A warm hand on her shoulder made her jump and she looked directly into the doctor’s face.

‘I’ll give you a hand. It’s a lot for one person to do,’ he said and ignored Clara’s protests as he tossed on an apron that was clearly a size too small for him. Together they had the kitchen and wares sparkling clean along with the countertops and tables.

‘Okay, that should do it!’ she said, her hands akimbo.

The old man smiled at her and took her purse from her hand as she locked the doors and dropped herself into the passenger seat of his car. Another crack of thunder made her jump and she immediately put her hands over her eyes to drown out the sound.

‘You really don’t like thunder, do you?’ he asked, amused.

‘It’s stupid. I know.’

He shook his head, ‘Not at all. I find it rather adorable.’

The waitress glowered at him and once again flinched in her seat as the sky rumbled overhead, a soft whine escaping her lips. This time the silver wolf did not laugh but instead took her hand in his. Clara flicked her gaze to him questioningly.

‘When I was a wee lad, I hated the thunder too. My mother always told me that it was mother nature’s way of saying how angry she was, when we did not treat her with respect. So, she said that if you close your eyes and think of all the goodness she has done for us, the thunder recedes and the storm calms.’

Clara couldn’t help but snort at the silliness of his words, but the sentiment was sweet.

‘Are you telling me, I should do the same?’

‘No. I’m only saying this to take your mind off the storm,’ he taunted, ‘and you didn’t even notice the last two rumbles overhead while I was speaking.’

He was right. She didn’t. 

A broad smile spread across her face, ‘You’re full of surprises Dr. Smith.’

He returned the gesture and kissed the palm of her hand, the skin where his lips met, tingling slightly.

The drive to her apartment was short and quiet and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a slight air of tension between them. What was he thinking?

When he pulled up at her housing complex, he insisted on walking her to the front door.

‘Well, here we are,’ he chided, staring at her intently.

‘Yep…’

They stared at one another for a moment until Clara cleared her throat.

‘Well… thank you for the uh…lift, Doctor. Also, thank you for the help and your services.’

She extended her arm for a handshake but he granted her another kiss to the back of her palm instead.

‘Anytime, milady,’ he said with a wink and slowly turned around, sneaking one last glance at her before descending the stairwell. 

As the little lady turned the key in the lock, she gasped as a memory flashed before her of a silver haired man who looked exactly the doctor, smiling at her and the words he said after, flooded her ears, ‘I love you’. As the image faded from her mind, she held onto the door and yelped as a strong arm wrapped around her waist. 

‘Doctor!’ she exclaimed, her feet swaying and a wave of nausea rose from her stomach.

Without a word, he opened the door and they quickly slipped inside.

‘Where’s your bathroom?’ he demanded, urgently.

Clara pointed and he scooped the tiny woman into his arms and barged into the small space. He immediately set her down and held back her hair as she hurled into the toilet.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The doctor looked at the tiny human fast asleep in her bed. Her miscarriage had her extremely ill and working late hours at the diner with little rest, was putting stress on her. He had debated for the past three days after her visit whether he should stay away or not, but eventually his heart won over reason and he wandered into the diner tonight, in hopes of seeing the human. She looked pale in the face and the medicine he prescribed would not take full action till the entire course was run. He had such a strong urge to kiss her at her front door and yet he had to hold back. No need to force himself on her and scare her away. However, as he had turned away and made it to the bottom of the stairs, he heard her gasp and instantly grew alarmed… but that wasn’t the only reason he ran back.

The moment she gasped, he felt a strange sensation overtake his body and almost as if connected, he swore he saw the same thing she did. He didn’t even dream-walk to see what she did. It only lasted a couple of seconds and to his shock, he saw himself in her point of sight, smiling at her and telling her he loved her. When the flicker had faded, he instantly shot up the incline and found the waitress off balance and about to faint. After she hurled, he insisted she have a shower and willed her to sleep. Now, he sat on her bedside, watching her and couldn’t help but ponder on what he envisioned. He told Clara, he loved her. When was that? He had no recollection of ever meeting her yet… there was something about her he was drawn to. Had they known each other before? There was only one person who may have known. The one person who had sent him back to this forsake land after his town fell to pieces. He whipped out his phone and dialed the number. 

After the second ring, the line picked up and he spoke into the speaker, ‘Mother? We need to talk.’


	26. Breaking the magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I almost was unable to write your weekly chapter today, but I managed to squeeze it in and here it is!
> 
> Lets see if mother dearest has any answers for John!

Chapter 26

The doctor barged through the red themed living room of his family’s ancient mansion. The sickening feeling of nostalgia flooded him as he took in the surroundings. The last time he stood in here, he had a spat with his father over River and it ended with his blood on the floor. How he remembered the reverberated cries of his mother trying to part them during their tussle, the undeniable sound of cloth tearing, flesh being ripped open. He had almost lost an eye, while his father lost a fang, after an unexpected blow to the face from the metal poker from the fireplace.

‘Johnathan!’ exclaimed his mother happily, as she descended the narrow staircase at the corner of the room.

‘I’m so happy to see you,’ she chided, placing a kiss upon both his cheeks and forehead.

‘Is everything alright, darling?’

The elegant lady took his hand and led him to the large black velvet couch. As they seated themselves, she snapped her fingers and the maid entered with a tray of refreshments and a pot of camomile tea. John eyed her as she sipped from her cup, unsure how to start.

‘What memories did you take from me, before we left Gallifrey, mother?’ he asked, cutting straight to the chase.

Immediately her eyes shot up, the suddenness of his question taking her by utter surprise, that she nearly tipped her cup over.

‘Why do you want to know this, all of a sudden?’ she asked, warily.

‘I had a vision… a flashback perhaps. It was strange.’

‘What… did you see?’ 

He looked at her, uncertainty glazing over his features, as he pondered whether to tell her or not. The last thing he needed, was to endanger Clara and have history repeat itself. They held each other’s gaze for a few moments, until the Lady Smith set her cup down and exhaled loudly.

‘I had no choice. I hope this would never have come up, either. It’s only been two months.’

‘I’m all ears. What did you take from me…?’

‘Before I tell you, tell me what you remember before we left and what you saw,’ she bargained, face growing serious.

John recalled having woken up on his manor’s living room floor, body aching and the feeling of a large rift in his chest. He remembered all the events of coming to Canada, the establishment of his town, his grief over River and then there were gaps. A stranger had entered town but he never remembered who or their face. Jack and his followers were hot on the person’s tail and he intervened at some point. Amy, Rory and Rose had died and then events after that were foggy. There was nothing he could mention after that, except being tortured by Jack and then his mother barging in to save him. If there was someone with him, he could not tell, because their existence was erased and a black void was replaced in their stead.

The older woman nodded as she listened to him carefully and when he was done, she stood up and retrieved a small wooden box above the fireplace. The doctor eyed the box she brought over to him and rest it on the coffee table amongst the china. 

‘Open it,’ she said and took a step back.

The silvered man did not hesitate and carefully opened the lid, to find a lock of brown hair, neatly braided in a blue satchel. He took it in his palm and stared at it, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion as to what it was his immortal mother was trying to tell him… until the scent filled his nose. His eyes dilated and he felt his body jolt violently. A strong arm pushed him into the plush seat behind him, as he began to shake.

‘W-What is this?!’ he choked.

‘It’s your body’s natural response to a trigger of lost memories. That lock of hair, belonged to a woman that you became close with. I took it as a trophy and reminder of what I did for you…’

‘I removed your memories because it was the best thing for you and her. It would keep you both safe. But… I’m surprised you’re getting flashes. I’ve only came across a situation like that once… when my own mother asked me to erase her memories of my father’s betrayal, to suppress her grief…’ she explained, ‘but she loved him so much, that eventually her mind overcame the magic and bit by bit, the memories began to filter in.’

‘Is that what’s happening?’ John groaned, his skin coated in sweat.

‘Yes. But you’ve only had one flashback. That means the woman you were involved with… is having them as well. You see… when memories of two people who mated, are erased… it’s permanent unless their love is pure and true… that way they are connected no matter what and the magic is eventually broken.’

‘How is that possible?’

‘I don’t know. Magic is a strange…thing and so is love, my son. Like I said, I’ve only known this to happen once in my entire lifetime but not to this extent. My mother regained her memories without me intervening but it drove her mad with grief and she killed my father, his lover and then herself.’

John scoffed, his trembling subsiding, yet he clutched the lock of hair tightly in his hand.

‘Morbid, I know. As for your case, my dear child… it’s best not to go back down that road. I removed both your memories to keep you two safe. Do not by any means go looking for her John,’ she warned, dabbing a dry towel against his face.

‘Who was the woman I was involved with? ’ he asked breathlessly, although he already figured who it was.

‘If I tell you, you need to stay far away from her. There is no place in the coven for a taboo union, especially as the aide to the coven’s leader. They will have the both of you executed. Your experience with River, was a lesson!’ she hissed.

‘Who. Is. She?’ he repeated, through gritted teeth.

The elegant woman sighed and put a hand to her forehead.

‘I’m going to regret this… and I know you’re not going to take my advice and if I don’t give you any information, you’ll still go find out yourself so… I’ll tell you anyway… Just promise me that you’ll try to stay out of trouble?’

Doctor Smith nodded and awaited her response with abated breath and he was almost flooded with relief when she said, ‘Clara Oswald.’

John’s heart leapt with a feeling he couldn’t quite explain and without a moment to spare, kissed his mother on her cheek and darted out the room. Lady Smith shook her head sadly and hugged herself. It was no surprise that he would eventually question the missing memories. He loved Clara too much and the human felt the same for her son, that it was only a matter of time before her spell began to crumble. Her intent to reintroduce him to the coven was more of a means of keeping him out of trouble, but it seemed she was wrong. So, so wrong and prayed that whatever happened now, she was strong enough to defend her offspring and whether she liked it or not, be prepared for one of two things; receive news of her son's death or welcome a human daughter-in-law by some miracle.

John's father loathed the mortals, and so did Mrs Smith. However, after River's execution and the attempt on her son's, she felt pity and took a change of heart. John was her only son and after going on over a century without him around and with a husband that barely noticed her, she felt lonely. She would never tell him that, but she was secretly happy to have him back in Scotland where he belonged. It was just a sliver of hope that made her wish that he find a suitable mate, that was immortal. However, life was not simple and John will always be John. Her loving son. An oncoming storm, who fought for what he believed in.

The doctor drove all the way to the tiny human’s apartment and banged furiously on her front door.

‘I’m coming, for God’s sake!’ she yelled, grumpily.

As she opened the door, he was met with the most adorable scene. Clara seemed to have just crawled out of bed. Her hair was a mess, her black pajama top and blue cat printed bottoms wrinkled and her feet bare.

‘Doctor?’ she asked in surprise.

‘What are you doing here?!’

He looked her over once, twice and her scent hit him like a brick wall. His body grew rigid, parts of him already hard. Without warning, he released a low, possessive growl and grabbed Clara by the waist, before crushing both their lips together, into a long, deep, passionate kiss.


	27. Return what was taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say, it gets hard juggling a busy weekly schedule and then squeezing in time for hobbies after dealing with domestic stuff!
> 
> Here's this week's chapter. A little happy before I toss them back into some angst! Enjoy it while it lasts mwahahahaha

Chapter 27

Clara was so taken aback by seeing the doctor on her doorstep, that she momentarily froze. Next thing, he was kissing her… not that she minded. Her good female instinct said they should really stop, but instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in close, their tongues dancing to their own rhythm. The doctor’s skin was hot and he kissed the waitress breathless, never once breaking contact. Clara felt her knees grow weak with the jolts of excitement he sent through her body, as he gathered her up in his arms and headed to her bedroom.

He gently set her on the duvet and finally broke their long kiss. 

‘I want you,’ he said, panting softly, ‘I want you, now.’

Before the little lady could answer, he was atop her; one hand tangled in her hair, the other working its way under her pyjama top to cup her breast. She sat up and lifted her arms, as the silver wolf pulled her blouse over her head and trailed kisses down her throat till he engulfed her nipples and nipped and pulled at them teasingly. Clara moaned and dug her hand into his soft greying hair. 

In a second, her pyjama bottoms were gone and she lay only in her pink cotton knickers, gazing at him intently… waiting for his next move. He stood up and slowly undid his shirt and trousers, until he bared himself to her, fully naked and erect. Clara bit her bottom lip, her eyes marvelling at the enormous length of him, as he ran his hand up and down his shaft till it was completely hard. How she couldn’t wait for him to be inside her. How she wanted him to fuck her till she forgot her troubles about home, her missing past, her miscarriage…

She instantly snapped to her senses and put a hand forward, stopping him before he crawled atop her once more.

‘We can’t…’ she croaked.

He stopped and frowned before realization dawned on him.

‘My miscarriage… I haven’t healed properly yet.’ 

The doctor took in a deep breath, his cock twitching and the sight of her made him ache for release. 

‘You’re right…’ he groaned painfully and took a seat beside her, burying his face into his hands.

‘I-I’m sorry, Clara. I don’t know what came over me.’

The brunette rubbed her hand on his back in small circular motions and told him it was fine. She took his hands and looked into those beautiful blue eyes. A smile crept onto her face and she planted a soft kiss to his lips, smiling as she took him hot and heavy in her hand. He groaned as she pushed him back onto the bed and sucked him, fast and needy until he was thrusting into her mouth. He clutched the sheets on either side of him as he came hard. Clara rested her head against his chest as he tried to catch his breath and instinctively wrapped an arm around her.

‘We need to talk,’ he said, after a while.

‘If it’s about earlier, don’t worry,’ the little lady intervened.

He chuckled before his face grew serious.

‘No. I mean, we really need to talk, Clara…’

‘I know what you’re going to say.’

He raised his caterpillars for eyebrows and looked at her questioningly.

‘There’s an attraction between us… like a familiarity as if we’ve met before but can’t put our finger on it…’ she explained, frowning slightly, ‘And I felt the pull the moment I met you and I am certain you feel the same.’

John gazed at her, ‘What makes you say that?’

‘The way you look at me. Recognition was written all over your eyes when I walked into your office, although you may not have noticed it.’

They both drew in a shaky breath and interlaced their fingers.

‘Do you think this is crazy, doctor?’ she asked worriedly.

‘No. There’s an explanation for everything in the universe and I know exactly what’s going on. However, there’s just one question.’

‘Which is?’

‘Do you trust me?’

The human sat up and averted her eyes, pondering for a moment before her lips curled into a small smile.

‘My mind says to be careful but my heart says yes. Yes, I do.’

He grinned back at her and pulled her down for a kiss.

‘Let’s get dressed. There’s someone I want you to meet,’ he said and climbed out of bed to retrieve his discarded clothing from the floor.

Clara and John walked into his family’s mansion hand in han; Clara’s face a look of awe as she took in the ancient architecture and antiques adorning the numerous rooms they waltzed through. They emerged into the red themed room from John’s previous visit and was met with a wide-eyed Lady Smith and the shattering of the teacup she held, on the marble floor.

‘Oh God… no, no, no, no, no,’ she chanted, clutching her hair.

‘I didn’t know she was in London! Good moonlight, Johnathan! Are you trying to have a go at death again?!’ she yammered, stomping towards the couple.

Clara grew uneasy and attempted to back away, but John held onto her hand firmly and gave it a light reassuring squeeze.

‘What. Is. She. Doing. Here?’ his mother asked, pointing a finger at Clara.

‘I want you to return her memories and mine, as well.’

‘No.’

‘Please, you don’t understand...’

‘I understand perfectly! Your love for her never left, despite the memory wipe and its fighting my magic…’ she hissed, ‘If I return them to you both, there is no way you two can carry on a life together without a member of the coven finding out, eventually.’

‘It’s a risk I’m willing to take, mother. You know I’ll find a way around it whether you like it or not.’

The elegant wolf’s throat bobbed, as she paced the room.

‘What does Clara have to say?’

The mortal jumped upon hearing her name from the older female’s lips.

‘I- I…’

John wrapped an arm around her and tucked her into his side, before giving an encouraging nod to speak. Clara closed her eyes and explained her entire situation; how she awoke in her bed disoriented and the gaping hole in her chest that slowly consumed her day by day. How her world began to collapse and how she tried to retrace her steps and was continuously met with dead ends, not to mention her unexplainable pregnancy, now miscarriage and her reason for leaving home.

Lady Smith flinched when she heard the word ‘pregnancy’, eyes darting between the two.

‘Y-you were pregnant…?’ she asked hoarsely.

The doctor swallowed hard, fully aware it was his child. His mother, despite her disdain to hybridization between the species, found herself feeling pity for the young waitress and unconsciously reached forward and placed her hand on Clara’s stomach.

‘I’m sorry…’ she whispered, looking her straight in the eye.

‘I know the feeling of losing a child. I too had many miscarriages before the elders granted me the chance to have Johnathan…’ a tear rolling down her cheek.

Her son embraced her and pulled Clara in as well, the trio embracing and sharing a moment.

‘I don’t want to lose you, John and I love you so much. You are all I have left,’ she sobbed, clutching his arm.

‘Mother, I know you are only looking out for me, but I love Clara. Please… I’ve been through years of loneliness. Taboo or not, please grant me at least a ray of happiness…’

There was silence for a few minutes before John and Clara both winced, a sharp pain invading their minds as images of past events flooded them. Lady Smith observed the pair, as they panted and held their heads, both slowly turning their gazes to one another.

‘Doctor…’ whispered Clara, eyes glassy, face flush.

The old man uttered not no words, but everything he felt was shown as he lifted Clara off the ground and pulled her into a spinning hug.

‘I’m still here, you know…’ intervened the she-wolf, a sad smile on her lips.

The pair looked at her, both glowing with happiness and hugged her.

‘Thank you,’ her son and his human said repeatedly.

‘You’re welcome…’

She handed them both an old iron key, which John took gratefully.

‘Take the passageway through the hall and my car. You can stay for as long as you like. Please, just be careful. I’ll keep a watchful eye and ear and let you know if anything happens.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Smith,’ said Clara.

The woman chuckled and took the mortal’s hand, stopping her in her tracks. She placed her palm on her stomach and a warmth filled her entire body.

‘You’ll no longer need to take those poisons they call drugs. I’ve healed you. Now you and my son… can try again…’

Clara smiled at her shyly and thanked her once again, before they exited the room.

John’s mother sat on her black velvet couch and clutched her skirts, tears streaming down her face. Her son was finally happy, but she feared he had little time left. Surely someone would find out about his union with the non-wolf. It was her duty as a mother to protect her young and despite how old John was, she was not going to let any member of the coven touch a single hair on his head or Clara’s. If anyone so much as hurt them; the coven could go to hell, because blood was after all, thicker than water.


	28. Union

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I may not be able to post a chapter this weekend and I did this one on my.phone so if it's a bit short or has some errors, I apologize.
> 
> Here is some happy before they get back into the angst!

Chapter 28

John pulled the car onto the shoulder and immediately climbed out his seat to open the door to the passenger's side.

'Clara, what's wrong?' he asked worriedly, pulling her into his arms.

The moment they stepped out his family home and into his mother's car, the brunette grew pale and tense. John on numerous times asked her if she was fine but her only response was silence. After fifteen minutes on the road, soft gasps escaped her lips, catching his attention. Seconds later, the tears came like a river had burst it's bank. 

Clara held onto him and buried her face between the junction of his neck and shoulder and bawled.

'I killed it. I killed our baby, John,' she cried.

'I wanted to have an abortion but couldn't afford it. The stress of everything including having to keep a child I had no memory of ever doing the act to get it here, drove me insane! It gave me a miscarriage and I killed it... Oh God, John I killed our baby...' she screamed.

The doctor let her go and cupped her face, his eyes teary but face stern.

'It is not your fault, Clara. Do not blame yourself. I understand the situation you were under and what you went through. What I put you through... and no amount of apologies is going to take that pain away.'

The old man released a shaky sigh and kissed his human on her forehead, before resuming their embrace.

'It's not your fault, darling. It never was or is,' he soothed, rubbing small circles along her back. 

'I missed you,' she murmured in his arms.

He smiled and said, ' I missed you too, milady.'

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, to which the doctor rewarded with a large goofy grin. 

'You look exhausted. Let's get to my mother's private residence and settle down for the night,' he suggested, slamming the door to the driver's side, shut.

The waitress nodded and closed her eyes, linking their hands together for the rest of the way. Mr Smith looked at his beloved longingly as he watched her fast asleep in her seat, hand still held on tightly to his. He slowly unlinked their fingers and slid out of the car, before carefully lifting Clara out of the vehicle.

'Mhhph,' she groaned as he held her bridal style, midway to the house's front door. 

'Almost there,' he whispered and kissed her swiftly on the cheek before kicking open the door and headed straight upstairs. 

He lay his delicate mortal on the duvet and slowly peeled off her jacket and removed her boots and socks, followed by his. Carefully, he sank onto the mattress beside her and stroked her hair. Faith once again brought them back together . It really had to be destiny for him to have met back with Clara. He thanked his lucky stars for their small mercy and admired her as she slept.  
:  
It was going to be tricky, keeping their union a secret. They had sex before, meaning in the werewolf world, they were married and joined as male and female. However, he did not have the courage to tell Clara they were married since that full moon where they made love throughout the night. How he wished things were not as complicated as they were now. How he wished he did not have to hide his beautiful bride.

If the coven found them, they would be put to death. He knew it, so did she and his mother. The only way to avoid conflict was to flee, but how long can you run from the problem? It was only a matter of time till it caught up to you. 

His other option would be to face the coven leader head on, and God forbid the great elder decided to show up. The old hag had quite a reputation for popping up at bad times. She knew him all too well but liked him in her strange way, and she waived his death sentence after his affair with River was revealed. However, she had warned him not to proceed with their relationship and that's when his parents took action, while she confirmed the order to carry on.

'Doctor?' mumbled Clara, her hand landing atop his face, as she blindly felt around for him. He took it and placed a kiss at the back of her palm, before snuggling against her back, his hand snaking around her waist. 

'I'm right here, love,' he said into her hair.

'Don't leave me,' she whined sleepily.

'Never. Never again.'

She turned around into face him, their noses nearly touching and slowly opened her eyes, her face riddled with sleep.

'I love you, doctor.'

He suddenly felt overcome with affection at her words, his eyes brimming with tears. Clara brushed them away, as they spilled onto his cheek.

'What's wrong?' 

He closed his eyes and took her hand, pressing it to his heart and shuddered.

'You're scaring me... are you al-'

The alpha did not allow the little lady to finish, as he pulled her atop him and kissed her hard. 

'I love you too, Clara.'

They both smiled at each other, before breaking into a fit of giggles. The former journalist lay her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. 

'What happens now?' she asked.

'Do we stay hidden from the world?'

'For now, yes... until we find a solution.'

She sighed and breathed him in, the consequences of her actions for choosing to love a werewolf weighing upon her. She had contemplated with herself whether she liked John. She was outright attracted to him from day one but her heart wavered during the time she spent with him in Gallifrey. She had begun to fall in love with him but denied it, because she was too afraid to acknowledge her feelings. After everything they went through, there was no denying it.

She was madly in love with John and she was certain he was as madly in love with her.

'How do wolves get married?' she asked suddenly, taking the pure blood by surprise.

He averted his eyes and pursed his lips before answering. Better tell her now, than never.

'Mating on a midnight clear... or a full moon...'

Her eyes shot to him and slowly widened as the realness of his words sunk in.

'We-'

He nodded once, his breathing shallow as he braced himself for an outburst.

'You're my husband...?'

Another nod.

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'Wolves are bonded and married through mating but I'm not sure it happens for a human-wolf relationship. I didn't tell you because I did not want to scare you...' he confessed.

His explanation fell on deaf ears because Clara stroked his cheek and fondly repeated to him,' We're married. I'm your wife.'

He grinned and traced her lower lip with his thumb.

'Only if you want to be...'

'Yes. Wolf or no wolf.'

John's eyes lit up at her words and she sat up and straddled him without further ado. 

'I hope your mom keeps protection around, because we are going to need it,' she hinted, slowly grinding against his crotch.

He hissed and threw his head into the pillows.

'I sure as hell hope so!' he groaned and tore open her shirt.


	29. Living unseen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo I really needed to get this out for you guy and here is your brand new chapter.
> 
> I cried for Peter's last ep for the season last night and I am not ready to let whouffaldi go, so look forward for more twelve/clara fics to come from me, in the future!
> 
> This story is close to the end, only about three more chapters to go and I wanna thank everyone for heir patience and kind support which has motivated me to keep on going!
> 
> *BIG HUG*
> 
> Also... I'm sorry... please don't hate me!

Chapter 29

Three months later

Clara was clawing at John’s back, as his thrusts hit hard and deep inside her. The building pleasure he gave was beginning to barrel up and it was only seconds before she exploded with a loud cry. Her immortal followed suit not long after, clutching the headboard of the king-sized bed, decked with what was once a perfect set of unshredded blue satin sheets. 

The couple lay side by side, panting heavily, both satiated and happy.

‘You need to stop shredding the sheets! It’s the third set you ruined this week!’ scolded Clara, between long drawls of air. 

‘Not my fault the way you just drive me over the edge. It’s hard to contain the wolf, when I’m close… sometimes I’m scared of it even… that I might hurt you.’

She sat up and ruffled his hair, before straddling him.

‘Again, already?’ he roused, cocking an eyebrow in amusement before cupping her breasts with both hands.

‘You won’t hurt me, John. I trust you,’ she said, with a soft smile and leaned into his touch.

‘Feels good…’ she hummed, throwing her head back as he massaged her.

‘You don’t understand… it’s hard to control my sanity when I’m with you. You drive me crazy, Clara!’ explained the doctor, looking at her seriously.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked with a frown, despite the statement had a clear double meaning.

‘I’m afraid one day I’ll hurt you, when I give into my urges. You’re human and so fragile. I almost bit you today, when I orgasmed. The pleasure you give me sends me into a frenzy.’

The little lady climbed off the bed and tossed on the alpha’s discarded shirt from the floor, before looking at him.

‘Well, if you bite me, then it’ll make me one of you, not so?’

‘I don’t want that for you, Clara. Don’t even think about it. Ever.’

She folded her arms and furrowed her brows.

‘Why not? You’re going to live forever while I blow away like smoke. We’re married! What happens when I die? You find another human and fuck her too?’ she hissed.

John felt a stab of pain from her words. He did not think as far as that. What would happen when she died? He’d be heartbroken but what if he fell in love with another human? It was clear he’d want both physical and emotional rewards from any forged relationships to come. But now, it was the two of them, hiding from the world. He’d managed to keep their life a secret for the past three months, going to work and returning at whatever hour he felt like closing his practice. Clara also was able to leave the house, but only under the watchful eye of Wilfred, Lady Smith’s best bodyguard whom she sent to watch over her son and unacknowledged daughter-in-law. 

However, Clara was often taken into a darkly tinted car, driven around the block for forty minutes to ensure her safety, before allowed to do her daily tasks, with Wilfred never an inch too far from her. So far, everything worked well and he was grateful it was so, but at times he saw the frustration that came with the living arrangement on his beloved’s face, who never uttered a word of complaint.

John knew eventually, there was something bound to happen. Why? Because his life never ran a smooth course and the coven was always on his back. It was a matter of time they would come barging through the doors to drag him and his human away, bind them to the large wooden poles in the middle of the coven arena and flog them till they were numb with silver spiked whips and then send out the young hungry wolves to shred them to bits.

The thought made his stomach turn, his imagination racing as he could see Clara’s face bloodied; her body being torn apart before his eyes.

‘Doctor?’ came her soft voice.

He looked up and noticed her concerned expression.

‘Are you alright?’

No, he wasn’t alight. Clara was human. He was a werewolf. They were living a life, hidden in the shadows to avoid being caught.

He blew out a shaky sigh, ‘I’m fine.’

‘No. No you’re not. Talk to me, John,’ she voiced, resting her hands on his bare chest.

‘I love you and I never want to lose you. But one day I will, because you’re human and the thought of it is hurts me so much and is so unbearable that at times, I can barely breath.’

She caressed his face and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

‘It’s my choice to make and my life to live and I want to spend it with you.’

He gave her a sad smile, taking her hands in his and kissed her knuckles.

‘I love you, Clara.’

‘I love you, too daft old man.’

The waitress wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. She smiled against the silver wolf’s lips, as he slid his shirt off her small frame and lifted her into his arms.

‘Round two, I take it?’ she giggled.

‘Round two, indeed,’ he answered seductively.

\------------------------------------------------------  
Clara packed the box of cookies she made neatly into her knapsack, along with the cute card and headed out the house with Wilfred.

‘To John’s practice, please,’ she asked, sliding into the passenger’s seat.

‘Aye, milady. Special day?’ he inquired, eying the present poking out her bag.

‘It’s his birthday, today. His mother told me and I wanted to surprise him.’

The old bodyguard smiled and nodded in approval before heading to their destination.

The ride was short and Clara was so excited, she barely waited for the car to come to a complete stop before jumping out. She walked straight through the doors; into his office unannounced and was met with her wolfy husband, buried in paperwork. He was so deep in concentration, that he did not notice her standing in his doorway, with a toothy grin on her round face.

‘Hey handsome,’ she greeted.

He instantly shot up and a broad smile spread across her face.

‘What are you doing here?!’

Clara slowly walked up to him, pulled the nearest chair and stood atop it. He frowned at her action but walked towards her as she beckoned him to move closer. As he came within hands reach, she grabbed him by the lapels of his lab coat and kissed him hungrily. He yielded quickly, hands wandering everywhere on each other’s bodies. The tiny woman unzipped her long coat and stood in a very lacy, see through piece of lingerie. The sight of her knocked the wind out of her wolf’s lungs and he quickly sent his secretary off on an errand, temporarily closed the practice and locked his office door; before taking Clara at all possible angles on his work desk.

‘These birthday cookies are delicious,’ he commented, as he watched her pout at her torn pair of knickers and busted bra straps.

‘Next time I’m going to ask your mother for a wolf proof set. You ruined it,’ she whined.

‘Couldn’t help it,’ he teased with a wink.

She chuckled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before wishing him a good day and left. Wilfred was nowhere to be seen, despite having called him ten minutes ago. Assuming he was preoccupied or stuck in traffic, the brunette decided to walk a short distance; hoping it helped the soreness between her thighs. The jingle of her phone made her pause and as she answered, her stomach filled with dread with the words that came through.

‘Clara! They know about you and Lord Smith. Get yourselves out of there now! I’m holding them off as best as I can. Go to-’ the line disconnected.

The world suddenly stopped and the former journalist began to panic. Immediately, she called John who answered thankfully on the second ring and gave him the details. He instructed her to return to his practice, which was five minutes away. As she broke into a jog, headed straight for her grey wolf, the imminent roar of an engine blasted through the streets. Clara glanced to the source of the increasingly loud sound and there was not much she could do, as it swerved, rode the curb and collided with her.


	30. Til death do us part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your brand new chapter! 
> 
> I am not very anxious about the doctor being a time lady but I'm gonna give her a chance.
> 
> However, like my good friend dreadmeater1988, I will ship whouffaldi for 4.5 billion years!
> 
> Nuff said!
> 
> Oh and hope you enjoy the angst and suspense :D

Chapter 30

The doctor howled in pain as he felt his heart wrench, his stomach in a knot and the excruciatingly long welts of pain shooting up his legs, back and neck in a rush that was too much to bear. He collapsed onto his practice’s floor, the wind knocked from his lungs, eyes wide and heart hammering uncontrollably in his chest. With the aid of his violently shaking hands, he forced himself to his feet and stumbled towards the exit. Clara. Clara was hurt. The connection was there. Despite her mortal nature, they had forged the mating bond between themselves and were connected as one. He felt her life force dwindle and panicked. He had to get to her…

Clara

They say that when you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. Me? I saw nothing but red. Smelt only the blood coating my skin. Felt only the searing pain that ran through my body. The last thing I saw was the black car headed straight for me. My body froze as my brain was swamped with endless ways to avoid the scene. One minute the black metal was there, the second, I was thrown several feet in the air, my left leg bent at an odd angle, along with my right arm. I hit the ground with a crunch, and was numb from my waist down. There was pain. Only pain throughout my torso, upwards.

There were voices and cloudy images, looming over me. I could barely register what they were saying, all their conversations and bursts of shock, muffled. Throughout the endless sea of noise, that one voice pulled at me. It called to me. I did not need to understand or see who it was, for I knew it was the only person I needed right now. Who I wanted near to me, in my last moments on this earth. My beloved blue eyed, grey wolf. My doctor. My John. His touch was lighter than a feather, his hold on me, firmer than a mother with her cub. 

He must had known I could not understand anything people around me were saying, including himself, for he spoke to me through his mind. 

‘Clara, my Clara,’ he had said, choking back the evident panic in his voice.

‘I’m getting you to my mother for her to heal you. There is no time to waste!’

The next thing I knew, I felt myself being lifted off the concrete paveway, my body beginning to spasm as new jolts of pain riddled it. 

‘Hang on my love,’ he said to me and I remembered nothing after.

The doctor

The sight I saw before me, turned me numb. The coven made do to hurt me well. They had been planning their attack for a time now. While I was happy and getting used to my domestic life, I grew careless, depending on Wilfred’s eye and arm to protect Clara, both of us now cleaving ourselves a ‘normal’ life. But I should have known better. Our lives would never be normal. Never be happy for there were others who were out there to hurt me. To hurt her, because of me. That was my mistake. They discovered our relationship and chose the weaker target first. Of course, they would. A human was simple to rid of with their fragile flesh and bones. A wolf, one of pure blood was not so simple. I gritted my teeth as I parted the crowd surrounding my mate. The pain I felt upon her impact was nothing compared to the sight I witnessed. Broken arm and leg. Torso shredded, and her lower body laying at an odd angle. It didn’t take long for me to notice she was paralyzed from the waist down, her body limp and the blood seeping through her broken nose and the deep gashes on her torso and face.

I spoke to her, but she did not register what I said, so I communicated through our minds. Thankfully she nodded, just a tad to let me know she was holding on… for me. I choked back the tears that threatened to betray me, as I knew she was dying. I felt it. I saw it. I smelt it. My sweet Clara was leaving me and there was nothing I could do… but magic could. My mother was a healer and was the only one who could save her. I took my love into my arms and scurried off into a random stranger’s car. They drove us straight to the hospital, but I had already called my mother and she sent help to bring us to her. 

We had arrived at my family mansion thirty minutes later. The longest thirty minutes of my life. I held her to me, begging her to hold on as she faded slowly with every passing minute. Barging through the red themed living room, I lay her as gently as I could on the plush velvet couch and spoke to her again.

‘You’ll be fine. Hold on for me, my love.’

Her nod in reply to my words was faint. A struggle to do such a small notion of response.

My mother gasped at her damaged body and held a hand to her chest in horror. Her eyes met mine and I knew what she was going to say. The desperate pleading look I gave her, made her hold her tongue and she bent forward over Clara, scanning her broken limbs and the effortlessly blood- soaked towels around her torso. With her unnaturally young hand, she ghosted over my human’s chest, palm glowing with a faint white light. Slowly, it was laid on her sternum and the light grew brighter, as she recited an incantation of our ancestors. Words of the old healers. The direct link to the first healer of our bloodline.

A sharp hiss from her and the retraction of her hand, had my attention. She shook her head and looked at me grimly. No words could match how I felt, with what her eyes spoke. What her body language implied. I did not want to acknowledge it. Believe it. Her words were the verbal form of my thoughts.

‘She’s close to death, my son. There is nothing I can do,’ she whispered sympathetically.

‘I am sorry.’

I shook my head, my body trembling.

‘No,’ I growled through gritted teeth.

‘You’re a healer. There must be something you can do!’ I barked.

‘She is dying, Johnathan. She’s too close for me to heal her. The only thing I can do is give her a swift death!’

‘You will do no such thing!’ I shouted, as I felt the tears warm my cheeks.

‘I will not let you kill her or let her die!’

My mother scoffed and sank onto the adjacent loveseat.

‘The coven knows about your secret, John. I ordered Wilfred to ensure Clara was safe. However, he was ambushed when he chased after the lingering assailant who was to cut her throat, after she left your practice today,’ she explained.

‘Apparently it was just a distraction to get him away from her and the other attacker was already waiting to run her over, which lead to this.’

My eyes widened and I said with deathly calm,’ How do you know about all this…?’

‘I overhead the coven leader last night and have been watching them carefully before I knew fully their plan. They must have suspected I knew, and used a decoy…’

I took Clara into my arms and stroked her pale face, tears spilling onto her cheeks.

‘Don’t even think about dying alongside her, Johnathan!’ she hissed.

‘I can’t live… without her…’

‘You have to accept the reality as it is!’ she nearly shouted.

‘The coven wants me dead now. I am a target and they have harmed, Clara. I will not let this go. They will pay…’

My mother looked uneasy, for the first time in her life. I never saw such uncertainty cover her features. For once, she was unable to predict my next move.  
‘There’s only one way to save her…’ I said more thoughtfully to myself, than to her.

She gasped and looked between me and my dying mate.

‘It hasn’t been done in centuries. It was banned after our species no longer needed extra individuals to create larger armies in the day of old!’

I said nothing to her remark. My mind was already made and there was going to be two outcomes. Clara was either going to live or die. Gently, I lay a soft kiss to her cold lips and told her once more I loved her. I brushed the hair from the side of her neck and kissed her jugular. The fastest way was at a main artery. The poison would take full effect in seconds. My fangs elongated, spilling out from under my upper lip and without hesitation, I sank them into my beloved’s skin.

Blood spilt from the puncture wounds and I licked the delicious liquid from my lips. It tasted sour, like death itself. I gazed upon her face, for any signs of change. My mother sat as well, watching… waiting… nothing. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes. I gulped loudly, fidgeting with my fingers and I began to lose hope. Fifteen minutes. I grabbed her and bit her again, on her wrist and waited. Time went by, her heartbeat just a faint flicker now. 

Fifteen minutes passed. We waited. Nothing. Then to my horror, I heard the one thing that would drive anyone mad. It was the sound of silence. I shuddered and ran over to her, pressing my head against Clara’s chest. I scanned her face, touched her skin. She was vaguely warm. The wonderful rosy colour of her skin, now replaced with a sickly green. Her usually pink lips, a sickening shade of blue. I gripped the couch and stared at her long and hard, reality sinking in. I lost Clara. I lost her again, like I lost River. I lost her… My body jolted violently, giving my mother a start, before she backed away, as I released a growl I never knew I had. My body buckled as I changed, my clothes shredded into pieces, as I took the form of not a wolf, but the ancient bipedal werewolf. The warriors of the night in the day of old. 

I clutched my mate’s dead body to my chest and I screamed and wept. My mother did the wise thing of not interrupting me. My howl was sorrowful and loud. Purposefully so, for the assailants and members of my species to know, that a loved one was lost today. I rest her lifeless frame back onto to the couch and sat on the floor beside her, stroking her hand. My mother said nothing, taking a seat beside me and held my other hand. The most comforting gesture she could do. 

I had no idea what time it was, except that the moonlight was beaming in through the window. I must have fell asleep at some point. I lay naked on the floor, a blanket thrown over me. It had to be my mother’s doing. I sat up and noticed the spot where my beloved lay, was now empty. Did someone move her body? Frantically, I scrambled to my feet and sought her out. I wandered shamelessly nude through the endless rooms and my heart nearly gave out, as I was met with the most shockingly beautiful scene in my entire life.  
‘Hello doctor,’ said the sweet female voice; those full lips curling into that shy smile, that made my heart skip a beat.

I was at a loss for words and the only thing I could muster as I stepped forward was a name.

‘Clara…’


	31. Consequences to actions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! 
> 
> Finally did it and wrote your chapters!
> 
> Thank you all for all the comments, they really make my day and motivates me to keep writing!
> 
> Let's see what happens now that Clara is a wolf!

Chapter 31

John caressed his mate’s cheek slowly and ran his free hand through her hair.

‘You’re alive,’ he whispered, voice near cracking.

Clara took his wrists and rested his palms on her cheeks, smiling at him, sweetly.

‘My doctor…’

She tip-toed and planted a kiss on his forehead, followed by his cheeks and finally to his lips. He drew in a sharp drawl of air, as their mouths connected and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. 

‘I thought I lost you,’ he said, as he broke the kiss after a few moments and pulled her into a warm embrace.

‘I was dead. But I came back. I saw you…. heard you screaming and crying,’ she explained slowly.

He frowned at her, ‘You heard and saw me?’

She nodded slowly.

‘It was strange. For a minute, I felt cold and there was darkness… then I was staring at you, holding my lifeless body and crying…’

He furrowed his eyebrows even more and drank in her words.

‘Then I heard a voice. It was a woman’s voice. It said go to him. He needs you more than anything… and then there was this blinding bright white light and a woman was standing before me…’

‘What woman?’ he asked, an uncertain edge in his voice.

‘I-I can’t really remember… but she was tall and had very curly blonde hair… and she wore a purple Victorian era styled dress… if I’m correct…’ 

John’s eyes widened as the answer fell out of his mouth, ‘River…’

‘What did she do? Did she say anything after?!’

Clara bit her lip and squinted her eyes, trying to jog her memory.

‘She took my hand and led me into the light… there was another woman there. A tall dark-haired woman dressed in red robes and her head covered in a red sash…’

John grew quiet and his face tensed. It couldn’t be, could it?

‘What did the one in red do?’

‘She told me that I was being re-born to save you and that I am fortunate to be gifted with immortality. Then, I felt a wave of warmth blanket me and they both said to go to you. Next thing, I woke up and you were asleep.’

The new wolf took her mate’s hand and squeezed it lightly, concern plastering her face as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, gently.

The doctor forced a smile, ‘Nothing. It’s nothing. I need to go to the coven. I want you to stay here. Have you seen my mother?’

Clara shook her head, ‘Not since I woke up.’

The alpha instructed the little lady to stay put and to hide if anyone barged in looking for her. He shrugged on a pair of pants, a blue shirt and a pair of boots before kissing her, perhaps for the very last time and left. 

\-------------------------

The large black wooden doors opened with a loud groan and the gust of chilled air hit him like a slap to the face, as John stood in the entrance to the grand council room of the higher-up wolves of the old Scottish coven. He clenched his fists as the guards behind him, both decked in full black eyed, him carefully, as he entered the spacious enclosure.  
The light was dim except for the centre, with the overhead chandelier illuminating the middle of the room like a giant spotlight, casting shadows about its surroundings. Magic at its finest. He instantly felt eyes on him, the hairs at the back on his neck standing on end. A soft snarl broke the silence and as the door behind him was shut, the light above went out and glowing eyes of blue, green and silver watched him from the dark.

‘Now, now… no need to hide in the shadows. We are all familiar with one another, great council,’ he spat, with a wicked grin.

‘Says the one who never learnt their lesson and lived to repeat their mistake twice,’ hissed a voice from the shadows.

‘Funny you would say that, when you granted the person a chance at immortality, great elder… or should I call you… Ohila?’ 

Silence.

‘You hold your tongue, Smith! Show the elder respect. It is her wishes that have you alive today!’ raged another voice from the darkness.

The lights in a blink, turned on and surrounding the grey wolf, were twenty heads all seated in their dapper plush chairs, decked in finery with unnaturally youthful faces, glowering at him.

‘Always looking for trouble…’ announced a woman decked in red robes with a red sash covering her head.

‘Ohila, dear elder,’ began John.

‘Save the pleasantries. I know what you are here for,’ she shot at him.

‘You want me to bless your bonding with the new born and not have you both executed.’

The doctor folded his arms, ‘Why would you go through the trouble of changing her when you planned to kill her in the first place? She was already dead, yet you saved her. What is your intention? Why am I still alive?’

A smirk. A few members of the coven chuckled. An older male, one with greying hair similar to John’s spoke up.

‘Because killing the last human whore of yours certainly proved fruitless. We did want to have the current one dead, but… you tried to save her by practicing methods that were banished years ago!’

The male rose from his seat and fixed his shirt collar.

‘Now, we decided to let your own game beat you, Smith. Your mother has paid immensely. Quite a clever woman, but not clever enough for all of us.’

John gritted his teeth, alarm suddenly overtaking him.

‘What did you do to her?!’ he barked.

The old geezer smirked and snapped his fingers. From a small door in the far corner of the room, two guards emerged, dragging Lady Smith, bloodied and battered with silver shackles binding her feet into the open space. John felt rage devour his well-being and ran to his mother. She opened her eyes just a crack, heaving and biting back tears as every joint in her body screamed in pain.

‘I’m so sorry…’ he whispered to her.

‘Save… Clara… and yourself…’ she choked and passed out on the floor.

‘Why have you done this?!’ he shouted at them all.

‘Because, the Smiths have been in power for too long,’ came an all too familiar voice.

Out of the corner of the silvered wolf’s eye, emerged Jack, grinning evilly at him.

‘I thought my mother killed you,’ he said coldly.

‘Well… she tried. I managed to escape when she ordered her men to kill me. Luckily, I escaped through the skin of my teeth and went into hiding. Eventually found some help and here I am!’

‘It was you… the whole time. You’re behind all of this. You lower blood!’

‘Now, now, no need to get all snappy at me. I hated you for centuries. Your town should have been mine. I’m used to being in control and the shit you did was absurd but I had to follow your rules and be calm about everything because you had so many loyal followers,’ he explained.

‘Eventually I managed to turn some heads who didn’t take likely to you and hunt freely doing the good old things we wanted, until you allowed it and I decided to not take your throne. But then that bitch of a human came along and spoilt everything. You just had to fall in love, with her, didn’t you doctor?’

John wore a face of calm, but he felt the blood in his veins combust, his control on his temper beginning to waver.

‘I’ll kill you!’ he growled.

‘Not if I kill you first. But it’s only a matter of time, because I killed that old bodyguard Wilfred and now your mother is next and I’m saving your little re-born for last,’ he chuckled.

‘You didn’t think this through properly did you, doctor? Everyone knows that a new wolf can’t break into their full wolf abilities till the next full moon. You’re too late and she’s weaker than she was as a human right now.

‘If you touch her… I’ll make your death so painful, you won’t even have the energy to scream as I tear you limb by limb…’

‘’I’d like to see you try. But, let’s make things more interesting and have an even bigger audience right now,’ Jack taunted and nodded to another pair of guards.

To John’s horror, they dragged in a kicking and screaming Clara, her hands bound in iron chains, tears streaming down her eyes, wide in fear.

‘Clara!’ he shouted and was stopped as he tried to approach her.

‘Oh no, you don’t.’

John glared at him, fangs already elongated.

‘The coven wishes to address us.’

He darted his eyes between the seated members and his enemy, questioningly.

The woman named Ohila, stood up.

‘You have broken many rules Johnathan Smith. I have also been very lenient to you as well. I have granted life to your mate, only under the condition I have granted Jack Harness, second class bloodline of the North American continent, originating from the Scottish mainland five centuries ago,’ she began,’ to inherit your title and position as hand to the coven leader and grand master of medicinal practices amongst our kind only, if you are killed in a one on one battle before the coven, to prove your worth as both a wolf and faithful member to your kind.’

Clara watched the colour from her mate’s face drain. Cruel. His kind was cruel… or should she now say ‘their’ kind?

‘If you are killed, your mate and mother along with any other living relatives of your bloodline shall be permanently erased. This was agreed by the coven themselves including myself as old elder and the leader, whom has taken first words upon your arrival. We have all agreed that this is a fair trial to the many rules you have broken and chances that have been granted to you.’

‘Do you wish to speak any final words?’ came the man with the silver hair as John’s. The coven leader.

‘Yes.’

‘Then do say, my good wolf.’

He turned his gaze to Clara, ‘I love you, Clara.’

The old wolf then set his attention to the crowd before him,’ I, Doctor Johnathan Basil Henstridge Smith accept the challenge and here forth pledge, if I survive, I will no longer be a part of this coven and shall roam freely to my heart’s content with my family and not one wolf in this council is to interfere with our lives or touch a hair on our and our future generation’s heads, ever again. Agreed?’

The leader and others looked at one another for a few moments.

‘Agreed,’ said him and Ohila together to the dismay of several members.

All exits to the room were locked and the two men faced one another.

‘No hard feelings, doc,’ teased Jack and launched at his prey with full force. 

John dodged him easily, but did not see the small knife hidden in his shirt sleeve and in that split second, felt his flesh tore open and the warmth of his blood spilling down his torso.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just a refresher, Jack was not killed when Lady Smith had barged in on him torturing John. When he did manage to see what was happening, everyone was killed and Jack had a knife to his throat and nothing was mentioned of him till now.


	32. True Nature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you all sooooo sooooooooooo much for making this fic a success!!!
> 
> It was fun to write and I had a blast. Thank you for all the comments and kudos and I love you guys so much!
> 
> *BIG HUG*

Chapter 32

Clara’s scream echoed throughout the arena as she watched her mate stumble backwards; the loud crunch of bones breaking, resounded in her now too-sensitive ears. John fell onto the marble floor, his torso bleeding profusely as he clutched his belly. His shirt was soaked through, mouth busted and fingers dislocated on his left hand. Jack gripped a lock of his silver curls and snapped the alpha’s head back, looking Clara straight in the eye with a wild grin.

‘Not much of a fighter, is he? Now you can watch him die!’ he gloated.

John grabbed his assailant’s arm and landed a bite to his wrist, earning him a few seconds to unravel himself from the powerful grip. Moving out of arm’s reach, he transformed into his bipedal wolf form and lurched at Jack. The two wolves tumbled onto the floor, loud, vicious growls and roars filling the air as they battled for dominance. John managed to get the upper hand, landing punches to the lower blood’s face, until it was a bloodied mess.

However, the younger opponent was a dirty player and rammed his hidden knife into the alpha’s chest, twisting it to ensure severance of tendons and muscle. The doctor stopped dead in his tracks as his body registered the foreign object lodged in his sternum. His skin began to sizzle and boils appeared around the knife, as he glanced down to see, it was not the same knife from his first stabbing, but a silver dagger that was concealed in Jack’s other shirt sleeve.

‘JOHN!!!!!’ yelled Clara, watching her mate drop flat onto his back. 

Jack laughed at the scene. The new born wolf hovered over her dying mate and took his hand.

‘John! John!’ she shouted, his eyes mere slits.

‘C-Cla-Clara…’ he strained, attempting to lift his head to see her.

She choked back a sob, feeling his lifeforce dwindling.

‘Don’t leave. Stay with me…’ she whispered.

He gave a weak smile and stroked her face lightly, with his right hand.

‘It’s over…’

‘No! Nothing is over! Don’t you dare leave me!’ the little lady scolded through teary eyes.

Without warning, she grabbed the dagger and tore it from her lover’s chest, his scream of agony filling her already pulsing head.

‘I’ll avenge you. Wait for me, my love,’ she ordered, kissing the back of his palm and walked towards Jack.

The bastard looked at her amused, ‘You think you can kill me with my own dagger, sweetheart?’

‘I will,’ she replied coldly and ran towards him, killing object clenched in her small fist as she closed the distance between them.

He easily stepped to the side and effortlessly tripped her over with his foot. Clara stumbled but maintained her balance. The former journalist flared her nostrils at him and tried again; Jack repeating his action, humouring himself. 

‘Pity, you’re his. You’d make a fine plaything!’

She hissed and dove at him, crashing him into the ground and bit at his neck. Immediately, he kicked her off, sending her flying a few feet across the room before connecting with the nearest wall. The brunette coughed and held her stomach, the impact of his large, heavy foot sending jolts of pain throughout her abdomen. She sneaked a glance at John, his chest rising and falling in short bursts, as he fought to hang on, just for her.

Jack followed her gaze and strolled towards the fallen doctor. Her eyes widened as he took up her mate and flung his across the room. The sight of his blood splattered across the room, the now deep gash across his head seeping out blood, made her stomach twist. Jack was a dead man. He drew his last straw. 

Something inside her snapped and she felt her body begin to shake. Gasps were heard from the surrounding crowd as Clara felt her body change. Her nails grew into claws, her canines now extended beyond her upper lip and she felt herself grow at least two feet more.

‘In the name of the ancestors!’ exclaimed a random member of the council, rising from their seat.

Jack’s face was drained of colour as Clara’s bipedal wolf form swiped at him, nails digging deep into his stomach and chest. It took him a few seconds to register the attack before he roared. He glared at the woman and took his bipedal form as well, attacking with full force. The tussle was short lived, as Jack easily gained the upper hand, his fist wrapped firmly around her neck, squeezing tightly. She gagged and clawed at his arms trying to break free, until she felt herself slipping away.

Everything grew blurry, until she swore she heard a voice speak to her.

‘I love you, Clara. Goodbye…’

She felt half of her die, the connection she had with her mate, now empty and cold.

‘NOOOOO!!!!!’ she howled and by some miracle found enough strength to kick Jack and send him rolling away.

She ran over to the doctor, his eyes open yet unresponsive. She shook him once, twice, three times… nothing. 

Smirks and dark chuckles flowed through the room as her onlookers found her situation amusing. 

‘Well now. Looks like it’s just you and the old woman to die now.’

The black wolf approached her slowly, cracking his fingers as he readied himself to deliver his final blow. The waitress looked to him and he froze. His eyes bulged out of his head, gagging sounds escaping his lips, the harder she stared at him. She gritted her teeth and held her hand extended to him, and slowly closed her fist. The skin around Jack’s head looked as if an invisible hand were squeezing his skull. The tighter her fist grew, the more the dents began to appear on his head, the growing pressure eventually making his cranium give way, as his head caved in, blood splattering everywhere, as his body fell to the floor.

Clara paid no attention to the coven members as she took her husband into her arms, his body still warm. Maybe he did not transition into the other world and walked into the light. Maybe she could save him. But how? She took on her human form, and stroked his head.

A hand rested on her shoulder, making her jump. It was Ohila’s. The elder looked at her sympathetically but also in awe. 

‘Heal him,’ she said gently.

‘H-How? I don’t know how!’

A tear rolled down her cheek, dripping onto her doctor’s body. Ohila lifted a brow and nodded to the wolf in her arms. The brunette looked down and saw her tear glowing on his pale skin. She wiped her eyes and smeared it onto his face and chest.

‘No, silly girl,’ the elder scolded.

Clara looked at her confused.

‘It’s not your tears. It’s the power that’s seeping through you.’

‘How…do… I… heal him?!’ she bellowed.

The older woman smirked, ‘Kiss him.’

Clara did not hesitate, softly connecting their lips.

‘I love you, John. Come back to me,’ she whispered and waited.

A few moments later, he gasped and drew in a deep breath of air. The wounds on his body sealed before her eyes, the dislocated joints and broken bones snapped into their proper positions, the blood turning to smoke and dissipating. His eyes, that lovely shade of blue; flicked open and connected instantly to Clara’s smiling face. 

‘My love …’

He grinned at her and sat up, pulling her into a desperate kiss, before diverting his attention to Ohila and the rest of the coven.

‘You knew this would happen… I saw it all… the past, the present and… the future…’

She nodded at him and turned to the coven.

‘What is the meaning of this, great elder?!’ demanded the leader.

‘How is the new born able to have abilities of the pure bloods and yet change forms before a full moon with such great strength?!’

‘Because my dear leader, she was never a pure human to begin with.’

Clara and John stood still.

‘A human cannot possess such abilities even when turned, but if she had wolf blood flowing through their veins, which I suspected after doing some research on her, it’s only natural like calls to like and her immortal side would kick in,’ she explained.

‘Clara is part of my bloodline. A pureblood from my great grandmother’s side who was lost to the humans when my great grandfather was to be put to death after their union. Somehow, she survived and through the years they mated with humans, producing her father which resulted in her. As a result, she would have received certain traits from the Smith bloodline, when John changed her, awakening the magic she may have already possessed in her veins, plus attaining magic from his line as well. This has given her the ability to still be standing right now.’

‘She is an abomination! Kill her!!’ shouted the leader.

‘You will do no such thing!’ shouted John and Ohila simultaneously. 

‘Hybrids are not tolerated!’

‘Did you not forget the oath I swore and you agreed to before battling, Jack?’ he reminded.

Silence.

‘I remember no such thing,’ he hissed and snapped his fingers for the guards to take them away.

Clara stood in front her mate and growled, each one of them frozen in position as she worked her newly found magic. 

‘If she kills them all, you will have no-one to protect you, my dear leader and I will not stop her. You made a deal. It has consequences if you break them!’ argued the hooded woman.

The old fart rolled his eyes and considered her words for a few moments before waving his hand in dismissal and defeat.

‘Leave and never return! You are no longer one of us, nor is any member of your family!’

John and Clara thanked the council, despite the disgusted looks. The alpha scooped up his mother, after having her silver shackles removed and he and his mate left the old coven, all in one piece to begin a proper life together.

5 years later…

‘Meredith, Cassidy and Jamie! Time for bed!’ shouted their mother.

Clara found out she was with child three months after the incident. An ultrasound done by her mate, revealed she was expecting not one… but three. The triplets were a bundle of mischief but she and John loved them to the moon and back. They all had their father’s curly hair, but Clara’s brown eyes and that signature dimple when she smiled.

‘But mama, it’s only eight o’ clock!’ complained Cassidy, the youngest of the sisters by three minutes.

‘I know, but you have school, tomorrow and daddy and I have work in the morn. Now be a good girl and get some sleep.’

The child pouted as Clara tucked her into bed, but sighed happily when she got her goodnight kiss.

John clamoured in moments later, carrying a sleeping Meredith in his arms and Jamie clinging to his back.

‘Alright now, time to sleep,’ he ordered, tucking them both in as Clara looked on.

‘Night daddy. Night mommy!’ chimed Jamie as her parents closed the door behind them.

‘I swear, they are more and more like you every day,’ remarked the she-wolf, as she flung herself onto the bed.

John undressed and hovered atop her, decked in his underpants.

‘I don’t mind. They’re just more lovable,’ he teased, unbuttoning her shirt and pushing up her bra, before nuzzling his head between her breasts.

She released a soft moan as he suckled on her already hardened nipples and slid his down her pants and under her knickers.

‘Oh John…’ she gasped, as he slid a finger into her.

She grabbed his hand and removed it from her arousal, as badly as she wanted him. He sat up and frowned at her.

‘Let’s finish this when we get back. Its full moon tonight and I wanted to have a run through the woods before midnight.’

He groaned and then got up,’ I was hoping you forgot that, but if that’s what my mate wants, that’s what you shall have.’

The couple smiled at each other and both changed into their wolf forms, John in his grey coat with his dazzling blue eyes and now accompanied with his beloved Clara, who wore a sleek brown coat, with golden eyes. The pair jumped through their bedroom window and raced through the chilly night air, stopping at the top of the hill, before staring up at the large moon above and howling at it, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Werewolf Clara and John hehe!
> 
> Whouffaldi may be over on BBC but I will continue shipping them for 4.5 billion years!
> 
> I hope you guys look forward to my new fic. Read the summary below!
> 
>  
> 
> Love is blind
> 
> John Smith was a happy man but after a near death experience, his world is turned upside down. He is rendered blind and abandoned by friends and family; with lonliness and anger as his only companions. This all changes when he meets a beautiful young woman, Clara Oswald who slowly inches her way into his life and makes him feel alive once more.
> 
> Coming soon!


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